Solar power centre to meet regional needs (hktdc.com)

At the signing ceremony: Douglas Muzyka, Corporate Vice President and President of DuPont Greater China, Nicholas Brooke, Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corp and Gao Guohui, Deputy Secretary General of the Shenzhen Municipal Government. Also taking part are Shenzhen representative Liu Yingli, Financial Secretary John Tsang and Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Frederick Ma

Hong Kong is collaborating with American chemical giant DuPont and the Chinese mainland city of Shenzhen, setting up a research and development centre to explore the potential of supplying renewable energy in the region.

DuPont last month signed letters of intent to establish a solar energy research centre in Hong Kong, and a manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, as part of the first major technology cooperation project under the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle.

"DuPont is pleased and honoured to be a part of this joint collaboration with Hong Kong and Shenzhen, because we share a commitment to meet the needs for renewable energy as this region continues to grow," said Douglas Muzyka, Corporate Vice President and President of DuPont Greater China. "We all see a great need for alternative energy to ease the pressure on natural resources and to improve overall environmental performance."

A solar energy research and development support centre, to be run by the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks, is expected to start operation within a year. DuPont will base its global thin-film photovoltaic business, research and development centre at the Science Park as its first anchor tenant.

"With this initiative, we reaffirm the Hong Kong Government's commitment to protect the environment and to promote technology development," said Financial Secretary John Tsang, adding that DuPont's decision "reinforces our position as a prime location for innovation and technology-based companies in the region."

World-class location

DuPont had considered several regions and cities in which to locate its global solar energy support centre. In the end, it chose Hong Kong because of its infrastructural advantages and its access to the greater China market. "The Science and Technology Park and the strong science community in Hong Kong will provide world-class infrastructure to enable scientists, technologists and enterprises to carry out the first part of this work," Mr Muzyka said.

DuPont, which forecasts growth in the solar or photovoltaic market to exceed 30 per cent annually in the next few years, plans to invest significantly in product development and capacity expansion to keep pace with demand. Mr Muzyka said further growth will depend on finding new technological advances to help bring down costs and shorten the time it takes to bring innovations to the market.

The solar energy research and industrial platform is the first technology project by the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovation Circle, set up a year ago to promote technology research and development. The Shenzhen Government will collaborate with Hong Kong to provide land and other facilities to support the development and manufacturing of solar energy products.