Recently, Grandblue Waste-to-Hydrogen Project received the 2025 Innovation & Sustainability Award from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management Hong Kong Branch (CIWEM HK). This recognition underscores the industry’s strong endorsement of Grandblue’s innovative approach and affirms the company’s steadfast commitment to advancing sustainable development.
Win the CIWEM HK 2025 Innovation & Sustainability Awards
Established in 1987, CIWEM HK is one of the most authoritative and influential professional bodies in Hong Kong’s water and environmental management sector. It is dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability, advancing the continuous improvement of environmental management standards, and serving as an important bridge that connects Hong Kong’s local community with the global environmental community. The 2025 Innovation & Sustainability Awards presented by CIWEM HK aim to recognize organizations and individuals that have made significant contributions to innovation and sustainable development within the water and environmental management sector, promote the adoption of innovative and sustainable solutions, and support the sector’s healthy and sustained growth. By leveraging its innovative practice in renewable energy (biogas)-to-hydrogen production and refueling integration, Grandblue secured a place on the awards list together with government departments such as Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Drainage Services Department (DSD), and Water Supplies Department (WSD), as well as leading industry players including Jardine Engineering Corporation (JEC) and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC). This achievement reflects the industry’s strong recognition of Grandblue’s steadfast commitment to an innovation-driven and sustainable development pathway.
Grandblue is developing China’s first large-scale integrated Waste-to-Hydrogen project. By utilizing biogas generated from its own kitchen waste treatment and municipal solid waste incineration power generation projects for hydrogen production, the facility is expected to produce approximately 2,160 tonnes of hydrogen annually. Once operating at full capacity, it is projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly one million tonnes, promote economies of scale within the hydrogen energy industry, and contribute to the green transformation of the regional energy structure. In recent years, the project has been featured in the Corporate Climate Action Case Collection at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) and was ranked among the Top 10 for Green Innovation in the Paulson Prize for Sustainability organized by the Paulson Institute.
Boosting Hong Kong’s Waste Transfer Efficiency Through Green Innovation
Grandblue provides high-quality waste transfer operation services in Hong Kong. Its North Lantau Transfer Station and Outlying Islands Transfer Facilities (hereinafter referred to as the “Project”) commenced operations in March 2024. Following upgrades and renovations, the facilities have a designed transfer capacity of 1,811 tonnes per day. The North Lantau Transfer Station primary serves Tung Chung, the Hong Kong International Airport, and the North Lantau area. lt also assists in receiving waste from parts of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Tsing, and certain areas in the New Territories West. While the outlying islands network covers seven offshore communities: Mui Wo, Cheung Chau, Peng Chau, Hei Ling Chau, Yung Shue Wan, Sok Kwu Wan, and Ma Wan. Centered on modern transfer facilities and an intelligent dispatch system, and tailored to Hong Kong’s geographical characteristics, namely its numerous outlying islands and uneven population distribution, as well as its strong community emphasis on environmental protection, the Project has established an integrated, efficient cross-regional waste transfer system.
It efficiently collects waste dispersed across various outlying islands and remote areas for disposal at the West New Territories (WENT) Landfill. This approach not only significantly improves Hong Kong’s waste transfer efficiency and environmental protection standards, but also minimizes the impact of transportation activities on residential communities and the natural environment. The Project serves as a critical component of infrastructure supporting the HKSAR Government’s “Waste Reduction and Resources Circulation” strategy. As the first project in Hong Kong to introduce an online PM2.5 air quality monitoring system, it further demonstrates a proactive commitment to advancing sustainable environmental management in the region.
Furthermore, its “decentralized collection–intensive transfer” model, developed to address the challenges of waste collection and transportation across geographically dispersed islands primarily reliant on marine transport, provides a valuable reference for regions with similar characteristics, such as Southeast Asia and Pacific island nations. This also demonstrates the capability of Chinese environmental protection enterprises to adapt technologies to specific local contexts and operational scenarios.
Additionally, the Project plans to progressively phase out its existing diesel-powered container vessels this year and replace them entirely with fully electric container vessels. As one of the first fully electric waste transfer vessels deployed by a Chinese enterprise in Hong Kong and other international markets, this initiative will significantly enhance energy efficiency, effectively reduce carbon emissions, and advance the development of green transportation models.
Looking ahead, Grandblue will remain guided by green innovation and continue to strengthen its capabilities in solid waste management and resource utilization, generating sustained momentum for sustainable development worldwide.