Applications Now Open for $200 Million PASS Funding for Non-Profit Professional Services Projects in Hong Kong

Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme invites new round of applications

​The Main Programme under the Professional Services Advancement Support Scheme (PASS) is inviting a new round of applications for project proposals starting today (December1) from non-profit-distributing organisations such as professional bodies, trade and industrial organisations and research institutes.

PASS, with a total allocation of $200million, aims at funding non-profit-making industry-led projects to increase exchanges and co-operation between Hong Kong’s professional services and external counterparts, promote relevant publicity activities, and enhance the standards and external competitiveness of Hong Kong’s professional services.

The maximum grant for each approved project under the Main Programme of PASS is $3million or 90per cent of the total eligible project cost, whichever is lower. A wide range of professional services, such as accounting, legal and dispute resolution, architecture, engineering, healthcare, information and communications technology, design and technical testing and analysis, are eligible for the Main Programme. Sector-specific projects and cross-sectoral projects are both welcome. Expenses directly incurred for implementing a project, such as manpower costs, venue and set-up costs, production and promotion costs, and the project team and active participants’ travel and accommodation costs outside Hong Kong are typically eligible for funding support under the Scheme. Funding support may also be provided for travel and accommodation costs incurred by participants of relatively longer professional internships or attachment programmes outside Hong Kong which are funded by the Main Programme.

Up to early November2024, over 110projects had been funded under the Main Programme, including project deliverables in and outside Hong Kong. The deliverables include capacity-building programmes for enhancing the standards of local professionals, such as training programmes, workshops and study tours; outreach and promotional activities for showcasing the strengths of Hong Kong’s professional services, such as roadshows, promotional seminars and participation in exhibitions outside Hong Kong; exchange activities for deepening interaction between Hong Kong professionals and their external counterparts, such as visits to other economies and international conferences and seminars held in Hong Kong; and research projects on potential external markets for Hong Kong professional services and development of best practice guidelines and manuals for professionals. Details about the Main Programme and its funded projects are available at www.pass.gov.hk/main/en/home.

Furthermore, with a view to stepping up the promotion of Hong Kong’s competitive edges and professional services to Mainland cities (including those in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area) and overseas markets, $50million has been set aside for the Professionals Participation Subsidy Programme (PSP) under PASS to subsidise Hong Kong major professional bodies to participate in relevant activities organised by the Government (such as Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council after the pandemic situation has stabilised. Details of the PSP and its latest list of eligible activities are available at www.pass.gov.hk/psp. Hong Kong professionals from the eligible professional sectors under PASS may make use of the PSP subsidy to join the relevant activities.

The Main Programme and the PSP receive applications for project and activity proposals all year round and they are processed on a quarterly basis. The deadline for the new round of applications is February28,2025. A briefing session will be held this month for organisations interested in applying for PASS funding. One-on-one consultations are also available upon request for discussing preliminary project ideas or projects currently in the planning stage. For registration for the briefing session, scheduling a consultation session or other enquiries, please contact the PASS Secretariat at 36555418 or [email protected].

Four more trial projects on hydrogen fuel technology given agreement-in-principle by Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel

A spokesman for the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) said that the Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel (Working Group) led by the EEB has given agreement-in-principle to four more applications of trial projects on hydrogen fuel technology at its meeting last Friday (November 29).

The relevant projects involve:

(a) an application submitted by Sinopec (Hong Kong) Limited, which involves production of hydrogen with solar energy at the restored Pillar Point Valley Landfill in Tuen Mun;

(b) an application jointly submitted by China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited, Hong Kong Nation-Synergy International Hydrogen Power Technology Co., Limited and Sinopec (Hong Kong) Limited to try out a 19-seater hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) minibus and a 55-seater HFC coach for providing shuttle service commuting the construction site for workers, and three HFC forklift trucks to be used at the construction site;

(c) an application jointly submitted by Kingroad Logistics Limited, Allenbus Automotive Technology Co., Limited and Hong Kong Hydrogen Fuel Cell Company Limited to try out a HFC medium goods vehicle for cross-boundary transport; and

(d)an application submitted by Sinopec (Hong Kong) Limited to test out a HFC light goods vehicle for transport application at its oil terminal in Tsing Yi.

The spokesperson for the EEB stated, “The Working Group has promptly initiated the examination process upon receipt of detailed information of the trial projects. Following the applicants’ enhancement on the designs and technical details according to feedback from government departments to ensure that the trial projects can be carried out smoothly and safely, the Working Group has given agreement-in-principle to the four applications at its meeting on November 29.”

To date, the Working Group has given agreement-in-principle in stages to a total of 18 applications of hydrogen energy trial projects. Among them, Citybus Limited’s HFC double-decker bus has already commenced daily passenger service across the territory. Sinopec (Hong Kong) Limited completed the construction of Hong Kong’s first public hydrogen refuelling station at Au Tau, Yuen Long last month. Expected to commence operations in about two months’ time, the station could supply hydrogen to the three HFC street-cleaning vehicles that are about to launch their trial. After the meeting, the Chairperson of the Working Group, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, along with other members of the Working Group, visited the trial of hydrogen fuelled light rail vehicle currently being conducted by the MTR Corporation Limited (MTR) this morning (December 1). The project involves a hydrogen-powered train being tested on the sections of existing Tuen Mun Light Rail network during nighttime non-service hours and running as a non-revenue train, in order to collect data for assessing the technical feasibility of hydrogen energy as a clean energy option for the MTR network.

The Working Group will continue to make reference to the operational data and experience collected from all local trials, in order to provide advice for the continuous enhancement of the safety and technical guidelines on the local application of hydrogen energy.

The Government announced the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong (the Strategy) in June this year. To facilitate on-going implementation of the Strategy, it is suggested to expand the roles and functions of the Working Group, in order to assist the implementation of the various measures set out in the Strategy more effectively, including (1) continuing to review and approve trial projects; (2) co-ordinating the development and continuous enhancement of the relevant technical standards and guidelines for hydrogen application under different scenarios having regard to the local context; (3) advising on the pathway for wider application and commercialisation of hydrogen energy trial projects; (4) providing support for local infrastructure development and manpower training for hydrogen application; (5) assisting in the promotion of the popularisation of hydrogen application; and (6) regularly reviewing progress of implementing the Strategy. Also, the Labour Department (LD) has agreed to become a new member of the Working Group upon its invitation, with a view to assess trial applications related to hydrogen-powered mobile machinery more effectively.

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) is now working with the Department of Justice on the amendments to the Gas Safety Ordinance to include safe regulation on hydrogen fuel and it is targeted to introduce a bill into the Legislative Council next year. The EMSD is also actively facilitating training for professionals in hydrogen technology and is currently discussing with the Vocational Training Council and suppliers of hydrogen fuel systems to establish relevant safety training courses for practitioners in the hydrogen fuel trade. With a view to promoting the development of green hydrogen applications in Hong Kong in the longer run, and to support Hong Kong’s development in the field of green energy, the consultant engaged by the EMSD is conducting study for formulating the approach of hydrogen standard certification suitable to Hong Kong.

The spokesman said, “The EMSD reported to the Working Group that the study would be conducted with reference to Mainland and international experiences and the latest developments on hydrogen standard certification, aiming at formulating the approach of hydrogen standard certification suitable to Hong Kong by 2027. In terms of promotion and education, the EMSD actively organises science outreach events and seminars to enhance public awareness and understanding of the development of hydrogen energy.”

The spokesman supplemented, “To promote the green transformation of land transport, ‘The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address’ announced the earmarking of funding under the New Energy Transport Fund to launch the Subsidy Scheme for Trials of HFC Electric Heavy Vehicles. We will announce the details of the acceptance of invitations under this scheme in due course.”

The spokesman further supplemented, “The Government is also committed to promoting hydrogen development through regional collaboration. The Pearl River Delta Air Quality Management and Monitoring Special Panel under the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection and Combating Climate Change has suggested to cover demonstration projects of cross-boundary delivery vehicles transiting into HFC vehicles in its working plan for 2025. The EMSD has also been maintaining close communication with the State Administration for Market Regulation and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on the technical level. In addition, the EEB will also have further exchanges with the Mainland authorities regarding cross-boundary issues involving the development of hydrogen energy.”

The Working Group is formed by the EEB, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Development Bureau, the Security Bureau, the Environmental Protection Department, the EMSD, the Fire Services Department, the Transport Department, the Marine Department, the Planning Department, the Lands Department, the Buildings Department, the Architectural Services Department and the LD.