HONG KONG, Oct 30, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The 19th Eco Expo Asia, jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and co-organised by the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), opened at AsiaWorld-Expo today and runs until 2 November.

Attracting over 300 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions, the event showcases a wide range of innovative environmental technologies and projects. The last day of the expo (2 November) will open to the public for free, to encourage sustainable living practices.

Sun Jinlong, Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Yuan Da, Deputy Secretary General, National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China, Wang Peng, Director-General, Department of Energy Conservation and Resources Comprehensive Utilization, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the Hong Kong SAR Government, HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong, and Judy Cheung, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, were at the opening ceremony. 

Margaret Fong said, “Under the theme of “Fostering Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality”, Eco Expo Asia once again gathers leading experts from the eco sector to help shape a more sustainable future, with a special focus on Asia. A highlight of the Expo, the Eco Asia Conference addresses the latest industry trends and developments. Key officials from Mainland China and countries along the Belt and Road share their insights into the latest policies and practices in their region.”

Tse Chin-wan said, “Looking ahead, we will continue to harness the transformative power of innovation and technology to accelerate the growth of green and low-carbon transformation through supporting the development of green industry, promoting development of new energy and more importantly, facilitating green research and development projects with application potentials to transform into commercially valuable products through various measures.”

Eco Asia Conference brings together industry leaders, focusing on global green issues

The three-day Eco Asia Conference began this morning with the Government Session. Deputy Secretary-General Yuan and Director Wang shared the latest environment-related policies of the People’s Republic of China. Following this, government representatives from Belt and Road countries, including Laos, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Brunei and Vietnam, introduced local policies and environmental projects.

This afternoon, a seminar on Decarbonisation & Expanding the Boundaries of New Energy was held to discuss developments in the field of new energy. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Productivity Council, representatives from The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited, Volar Air Mobility and Invest Hong Kong were invited to participate. Over the next two days, industry leaders and experts will share their insights on the topics “Green Innovations & Technology towards Carbon Neutrality in Built Environment” and “360° Embracing Circular Economy”.

Exhibitors from Greater Bay Area and overseas

This year’s Expo attracts over 190 exhibitors from the Greater Bay Area. In addition to the Hong Kong Pavilion, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou Municipality, Shenzhen Municipality and the Macao SAR Pavilions showcase products and technologies in waste management, environmental acoustics and water quality management. The new Anhui Pavilion features technologies related to air quality, water treatment and water quality management, as well as presenting research, products and services related to new energy.

Overseas group exhibitors include Canada, Finland, the Netherlands and Norway, presenting technologies and services related to waste management and water quality, as well as technologies for new energy, energy efficiency and green building, alongside eco-friendly materials and organic products.

New energy-related technologies and products support Policy Address

The Policy Address emphasises environment-related policies including promoting the development of new energy, expanding the charging network for electric vehicles and continuing to promote waste reduction and recycling. This year's Expo supports the address through three focal points: new energy, waste management and circular economy, and ESG-related services.

The 5th Hydrogen Economy Forum will be held tomorrow, supporting the government’s promotion of hydrogen energy. Li Siu Ying, Electrical & Mechanical Services Department Engineer of the HKSAR, will discuss the regulatory control of hydrogen fuel safety in Hong Kong, while Zheng Fuqiang, Deputy Chief Engineer and Director of International Business Department of Sinopec, will share insights on green hydrogen technology and engineering.

Hong Kong’s first hydrogen fuel street cleaning vehicle is showcased at the booth hosted by 12 HKSAR government units. The Environmental Protection Department and Citybus will offer free rides on hydrogen buses tomorrow and on public day (2 November). Hydrogen purification systems and carbon capture and storage equipment are featured at the Canada Pavilion (Booth No. 3-G23).

Electric vehicles and equipment are shown in the Green Transportation Zone, including an electric truck, minibus and a brand new 32-seat electric bus presented by GMI Motors (Booth No. 6-A32), while Chun Yang International (HK) (Booth No. 6-C26) is demonstrating fast charging mini wall-mounted EV chargers.

Waste management and ESG services help the industry seize green opportunities

The Waste Management and Circular Economy Zone features large-scale environmental facility contractors, such as Baguio Green Group Limited and Keppel Seghers - Zhen Hua Joint Venture, as well as first-time exhibitor, Nanda (Hong Kong) Technology (Booth No. 3-D32), which features machines that can bio-degrade up to 36,000kg of food waste per day.

At the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation Pavilion (Booth No. 3-D02), JAPJAP Zero Waste showcases a waste management solution based on using black soldier flies to degrade food waste into compost and other by-products.

Several world-leading ESG certification and consultancy companies exhibit for the first time, including BSI Pacific Limited (Booth No. 6-C17), SGS Hong Kong Limited (Booth No. 6-C13), Intertek Testing Services Hong Kong Ltd (Booth No. 6-B11) and TÜV Rheinland Hong Kong Limited (Booth No. 3-E11). On the third day of the Expo, there will be a forum related to ESG, addressing the challenges faced by companies in implementing and planning ESG practices and programmes.

Start-ups inject fresh energy

Over 20 start-ups, including groups from local universities and incubators, are participating in this year's event. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Industrial Artificial Intelligence & Robotics Centre (FLAIR), established by The Hong Kong Productivity Council, join the Expo for the first time to showcase their research achievements.

In the Startup Zone, Ezygreenpak (Booth No. 6-F24) demonstrates its patented water-soluble non-woven material that can completely dissolve in 90°C hot water without leaving any harmful residue. Electro-Jet (Booth No. 6-F26) showcases electric boats made from aluminium and recycled materials, capable of travelling 200 km on a single charge.

To promote awareness of green living, talks, workshops and Green Mart - a pop-up market selling eco-friendly products - will be held on the last day of the Expo.

Under the EXHIBITION+ hybrid model, exhibitors, industry players and buyers worldwide can connect via the smart business matching platform Click2Match until 9 November, capturing green business opportunities.

Other concurrent events

The Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo takes place from 29 October to 1 November at the AsiaWorld-Expo, showcasing outdoor and professional technical lighting solutions for commercial and industrial use.

Free shuttle bus services are offered between the venue and other locations in the city throughout the fair period. Please refer to the following page for details:
https://www.hktdc.com/event/ecoexpoasia/tc/travel-to-fairground-awe

Photo download: https://bit.ly/3YqLe8H

Website
Eco Expo Asia: www.ecoexpoasia.com

Media enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC’s Communications and Public Affairs Department:

The HKTDC’s Media Room:  http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/en

About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences, and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.

Background information on Messe Frankfurt
The Messe Frankfurt Group is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,300 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2023 were around € 609 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services.

Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com/sustainability

With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).

For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com