HK Electric promotes solar power as 20-year icon Lamma Winds set to be dismantled

Lamma Winds has reached its 20-year design life limit, and the facilities will be dismantled at a later date, HK Electric announced.

The wind turbine, completed and commissioned on Lamma Island in 2006, was Hong Kong's first commercial-scale wind power project. Due to the discontinuation of most of the specialized parts and backup components for the Lamma Winds, HK Electric, despite actively exploring different solutions, found no suitable commercial wind turbine generators available for replacement due to the current market supply and site constraints. 

Development of solar power is more in line with local conditions and needs than wind power, HK Electric stated. 

The Lamma Power Station has over 9,000 solar panels installed, with a total generating capacity of 1.47 MW by 2025, becoming HK Electric's main source of renewable energy and one of the largest solar power systems in Hong Kong.

To ensure public safety, the decision to decommission Lamma Winds is prudent and timely, HK Electric pointed out. 

Looking ahead, with improvements in energy conversion efficiency of next-generation solar panels, generating capacity could increase to at least three times its current level when solar power systems at the Lamma Power Station or elsewhere require upgrades.

HK Electric will continue to support the development of renewable energy, actively cooperate with the government for the introduction of zero-carbon electricity into HK Electric's power supply area to achieve the goal of "net-zero power generation" and carbon neutrality by 2050.

HK Electric has actively promoted solar energy applications and encouraged wider community adoption of renewable energy through the Feed-in Tariff Scheme, which buys back electricity generated from renewable energy sources at prices higher than the market rate.

By the end of 2025, 750 customers' renewable energy systems will have participated in the Feed-in Tariff Scheme and successfully connected to the HK Electric grid, with a total generating capacity exceeding 15 MW, equivalent to the generating capacity of 20 Lamma Winds.

In 2025, the combined generating capacity of all solar power systems within HK Electric's service area was approximately 22 times that of the Lamma Power Station.

HK Electric mentioned that since its commissioning, Lamma Winds has generated over 16 million kWh of electricity, which is equivalent to reducing carbon emissions by 13 million kilograms and that is absorbed by 560,000 trees per year.