T.PARK is the world's largest wastewater sludge incineration plant, self-sufficient and designed to convert all of Hong Kong's sludge into space-saving ash and renewable energy.
The Challenge
Hong Kong's sewage production is expected to grow significantly due to a growing population. A further challenge is that the city's buildings account for 90% of electricity consumption and 60% of the carbon emissions.
The Solution
As the first large-scale waste-to-energy facility in Hong Kong, T.PARK is a key environmental infrastructure project in the city's “Climate Action Plan 2030+”. The plant uses fluidized bed incineration to process wastewater sludge from the large sewage treatment works in the city. With a total capacity of 2,000 tons of sludge per day, it will meet the needs of the city beyond 2030. Previously, the wet and energy-rich sludge was dumped in landfills. With incineration at T.PARK, the residual ash uses 90% less landfill volume, and CO2 emissions from landfilling are significantly reduced. The process also generates renewable energy to power the plant and export to the city's grid.The entire facility has been built as a model for sustainability. Drinking water is provided by a desalination plant and rainwater is collected for non-potable uses. All wastewater generated within the facility is treated on site for reuse, resulting in zero effluent discharge to the sea. There is also an Environmental Education Centre equipped with leisure, educational, and landscaped facilities, including a spa, exhibition halls, upcycling showrooms, wetland garden, and bird sanctuary.
Environmental Benefits – The facility has been designed to the highest green building standards as a model for other buildings in the city.
Social Benefits – The Environmental Education Centre at T.PARK aims to encourage sustainable living via educational and recreational initiatives. There is also an eco-cafe that employs socially disadvantaged members of the Tuen Mun District.
Economic Benefits – The plant will generate 80 million kWh of electricity annually to power the plant and for export to the grid, generating cost savings and powering 4,000 households.
Health Benefits – At the facility, double-door design and negative air pressure inside the sludge delivery bays help to prevent bad odors and dust pollution.
About Cities100
Presented by C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), Sustainia and Realdania – Cities100 2017 showcases leading solutions to urban climate challenges in five sectors: Energy, Waste, Adaptation, Mitigation and Transportation.
Available online and in print, Cities100 provides stakeholders an accessible format to explore achievable solutions for climate action in cities, and will be a useful tool for relevant groups ranging from impact investors and development organizations, to mayors and city governments. You can access the full Cities100 2017 publication online here.
- Benefits
- Economic
- Environmental
- Health
- Social
- Emissions Reduction
- 237,000 tons of CO2 emissions will be reduced every year when the plant reaches full capacity