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In 2021, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council officially released the Plan for Comprehensive Deepening Reform and Opening up of the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone (Qianhai Plan), providing a major new opportunity for the reform and development of Shenzhen and Qianhai.
The BS Division organised the captioned visit on 5 January 2024. When we arrived, representatives from Shenzhen Qianhai Energy Technology Development Co. Ltd welcomed us and briefly took us through the visit itinerary.
During the tour of the Qianhai Exhibition Hall and the Qianhai International Convention Centre, our group learnt about the recent expansion and development of Qianhai as a key part of the international Greater Bay Area (GBA), with core elements such as a multipurpose hub, convention and exhibition business centres and modern services. We were deeply impressed by the rapid development of this international facility.
The group then visited two district cooling plants in Qianhai. The district cooling system (DCS) distributes chilled water through a network of underground pipes from the district cooling plant to multiple buildings for air-conditioning purposes. The DCS serves customers’ buildings and offers operational diversity and good energy efficiency.
After that, we walked through the heart of the district cooling plants to learn about the operating principles of the large-scale chiller plants which were integrated with thermal storage technologies. Under this arrangement, overall energy efficiency is improved at district cooling plants, resulting in lower operational costs and the added benefit of shifting high power demand to off-peak periods of the day.
In the afternoon, members visited Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation & Entrepreneur Hub to appreciate the quality platforms provided for startups from Hong Kong Youths and the one-stop government services. Qianhai Internal Talent Hub provided a platform could match jobs to talents according to their experience and expertise for exploration of opportunities in Qianhai.
The fruitful visit finally concluded with a constructive discussion between officials from the Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone of Shenzhen and our members. On behalf of the BS Division, we would like to express our deep gratitude to the speakers with souvenirs presented for their tour visit and hospitality.
The EG Division, Energy Institute (Hong Kong Branch), Building Services Operation and Maintenance Executives Society (BSOMES), The Macao Institution of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (AEEMM) and the BS Division jointly organised the captioned visit on 6 January 2024.
In the morning session, representatives from Companhia de Electricidade de Macau - CEM, S.A. (CEM) led us on a tour of the CEM plant, where our members learnt about the electricity distribution network. This comprises primary substations and high-voltage switching substations with high-voltage cables of various ratings. In addition, the electricity supply is interconnected between Guangdong and Macau in a “North, Central and South” pattern to enhance the reliability of the system.
The CEM then shared their strategy for decarbonisation in Macau. They aim to achieve carbon neutrality in three stages: (i) attaining carbon peaking by 2030, (ii) moving towards carbon neutrality by 2040 and (iii) achieving it within 2050.
Our members understood that carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) is one of the focuses of the CEM. CCUS is a process where carbon dioxide would first be captured from various sources, including power plants, then utilised by other means such as oil recovery and being stored underground eventually, which prevents it from entering the atmosphere.
During the afternoon session, our members visited the cable car system (i.e. SkyCab) and the music fountain system (i.e. Performance Lake) in Wynn Palace. Our members learnt the means of mechanical protection and electricity supply, from design principles to operation and maintenance considerations, by visiting the control rooms of the SkyCab. Our members also gained ideas on the operation principle of the Performance Lake by understanding the programming control between the water jet machine and the music player.
All our members enjoyed the full-day trip and the sharing session. On behalf of all the participants, we would like to express our deep gratitude to the speakers for arranging such fruitful discussions in this technical and cultural exchange.