Is there a plan in place at HKUST to improve the EV charging facilities on Clear Water Bay campus?

Indeed, HKUST has taken proactive steps to enhance the EV charging facilities on campus. In 2022, CMO initiated a long-term improvement plan aimed at promoting the adoption of EVs and aligning with the Government's Roadmap on Popularization of EVs and HKUST's 2028 Sustainability Plan for carbon neutrality.

The plan entails the installation of EV infrastructure, which includes upgrading the electrical distribution system, power cabling, and more. Additionally, EV chargers and an electronic payment system will be implemented to support approximately 30% of the existing car parking spaces on the Clear Water Bay campus. By 2028, it is expected that around 360 car parking spaces will be equipped with EV medium chargers, with an output power of not less than 7kW (single phase).

 

 

Due to the scale and complexity of the EV charging enhancement work, it will be implemented in multiple phases, as outlined below.
 

 

 

What is the current status of the EV charging facilities enhancement work?

As of March 2024, CMO has completed Phase 1 of the project, which involved the installation of EV infrastructure at the staff quarters. We are transitioning to Phase 2 work now. To provide you with a clearer picture of our progress, the anticipated work to be completed in the next 12 months is summarized as follows.
 

 

Description of Enhancement Works		Expected Work Done
		Up to Q1 2024	Q2 2024 – Q1 2025
Phase 1	Installation of EV infrastructure at staff quarters	Completed	--
Phase 2	Installation of 4 EV fast chargers at outdoor car parking spaces	Completed	--
	Installation of EV infrastructure at indoor carpark building	--	Work is scheduled to commence in Q2 2024 and complete in Q4 2024/Q1 2025
	Installation of small number of EV medium chargers at staff quarters	--	Approximately 50 sets of EV medium chargers will be in service by early Q2 2024
	Installation of small number of EV medium chargers at   indoor carpark building	--	Approximately 25 sets of EV medium chargers will be in service by early Q2 2024

 

 

Is there a specific reason why CMO plans to install a relatively small number of EV chargers (approximately 25 sets) in Phase 2 work by early Q2 2024 at the indoor car park building, despite the anticipated high demand for charging?

According to the improvement plan, the target is to install more than 120 EV chargers in the indoor car park building by 2028.

However, it is important for members of the university to understand that installing such a large quantity of EV chargers in an existing campus poses significant challenges, particularly in a 30-year-old indoor car park building. The power supply capacity for the car park building is limited and primarily sourced from the campus-wide district cooling plant, which is essential for providing central air conditioning to support the university's core operations. Currently, the power supply to the district cooling plant is nearly at its maximum capacity due to the growing cooling demand resulting from the university's expansion and the occupation of new buildings. Given these constraints, the existing available power capacity only allows for the installation of 25 sets of EV medium chargers at the indoor car park building by early Q2 2024. Adding additional EV chargers to the indoor car park building may not be feasible as it could negatively impact the stability and reliability of the central air conditioning supply.

To achieve the target of 120 EV chargers, a comprehensive upgrade of the electricity supply is necessary for the indoor car park building. This power upgrade is planned to be executed during Phase 3 work, which is scheduled between 2025 and 2027. The upgrade process is complex and expensive, involving modifications to existing transformer rooms and major power distribution equipment such as the main low voltage switchboard, power feeders, busducts, and more. It is crucial that this upgrade is carried out without disrupting the university's operations. In preparation for this undertaking, CMO has already begun preparatory work, including coordinating with CLP to seek approval for the power upgrade proposal.

 

Will there be an implementation of an EV charging fee? If so, what will be the cost of charging?

Currently, EV charging at HKUST campus is offered free of charge. However, starting from 2028 following the completion of the enhancement work on the EV charging facilities, there may be an implementation of a fee for EV charging. The proposed charging model will initially consider the electricity cost, along with the expenses related to the operation, maintenance, and administration of the EV charging facilities, in accordance with the user pay principle. The final details of the charging arrangement will be subject to the approval of top management.