Hong Kong must ask tough questions about solar panel collapse, experts urge amid city’s drive to promote renewable energy

Hong Kong must investigate the cause of an accident involving a falling solar panel during a rainstorm, a building industry leader and experts have said, amid an ongoing effort by authorities to promote the installations as a source of renewable energy.

The concerns followed the collapse of more than 10 solar panels from Tung Ming Industrial Building in Tuen Mun during Wednesday’s rainstorm, striking two private cars below at around 10.39am. Both drivers were unharmed.

Lawmaker Tony Tse Wai-chuen, who represents the architectural, surveying, planning and landscape sector, said such an incident “happened rarely”.

“As long as the installation follows all the required standards, this does not happen under normal circumstances,” he said in the wake of the accident.

“The government should follow up with the contractor or the installation workers as to how the panel was installed.”

Authorities have promoted the installation of solar panels for more than a decade in a bit to promote renewable energy, with residents able to sell the electricity they generate back to the city’s two suppliers, CLP Power and HK Electric, for between HK$2.50 and HK$4 per kWh they produce.

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According to official figures, more than 22,000 out of 23,000 applications to the energy firms to connect solar panels to the city’s power grids had been approved between 2018 and the first quarter of this year.

The figure was a sharp increase from the 200 in 2007 to 2017, and included 4,200 approved during the last financial year.

The data did not account for how many solar panels were not connected to the city’s power grids. It is not known how many panels have been imported to Hong Kong.

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Popular installation sites included Hong Kong Disneyland Resort on Lantau Island, which had set up more than 7,500 solar panels since 2019, generating 3.3 million kWh of electricity a year that could power 1,000 three-person households.

Solar power currently accounts for about 0.2 per cent of all the electricity consumed by the city.

Discussing Wednesday’s incident, Tse acknowledged that installing solar panels did not require advanced technology, but added it was important to determine how they and their base were fixed to the building.

Veteran structural engineer Ngai Hok-yan said the structure securing the solar panels could have easily lasted for 50 years.

“We don’t know how long the structure was built, so we are unsure if it was well-maintained,” he said. “Weathering may have caused rotting or rusting to the fixture.

“If it was proper work, I believe the car owners and insurers could file a claim to the building owner, the responsible engineer or contractor.”

Since 2018, the owners of village houses and private buildings have been allowed to install solar panels without obtaining pre-approval from the Buildings Department.

Classified as minor works, the installation of solar panels must be carried out by building professionals and monitored by a registered contractor.

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According to the department’s guidelines, the entire structure, including its plinth, must not exceed 1.5m when installed at private buildings, while the restriction was capped at 2.5m at village houses.

“If people follow the guidelines, solar panels are structurally safe, like other minor works,” structural surveyor Vincent Ho Kui-yip said.

“The key issue here is whether the constructors adhered to the instructions while conducting the installation work.”

While he considered Wednesday’s collapse an isolated incident, Ho said he was worried the solar panels involved had been installed improperly and illegally.

“All improper installation works with inaccurate structural fixing pose risks. Strengthening inspection itself is not enough,” he added.

“The government should think about how to dissuade house and building owners from doing it in the first place, like having court give out heavier punishment to culprits.”

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The Environment and Ecology Bureau said it would take the incident into consideration as it developed and implemented its renewable energy projects.

The Post has contacted the Buildings Department for comment.

Under the Buildings Ordinance, anyone carrying out illegal building works can receive up to two years in jail and a HK$400,000 fine.

Dropping an object from a building and endangering or injuring a person is punishable by up to six months in jail and a HK$10,000 fine, according to the Summary Offences Ordinance.