Hong Kong serves as springboard for new energy firms from the Chinese mainland going global

As global demand for clean energy surges, new energy companies from the Chinese mainland are increasingly choosing Hong Kong as their first stop to reach overseas markets.

The Chinese mainland ranks first in wind, solar and storage capacity, but going global requires international capital, professional services and global markets. That is where Hong Kong comes in.

Invest Hong Kong helped 413 companies set up or expand in the city in the first half of 2026, including 246 from the Chinese mainland, accounting for about 60 percent. New energy is among the fastest-growing sectors.

Alpha Lau, director-general of investment promotion at Invest Hong Kong, said Hong Kong offers world-class universities, strong IP protection and deep pools of international capital. With the Chinese mainland's carbon peak and neutrality goals, many green energy firms are ready to expand abroad, she noted.

Alpha Lau, director-general of investment promotion at Invest Hong Kong, sits for an interview with People's Daily Online. (Photo: Wu Yuyangyang/People's Daily Online)

RelyEZ, with products in Italy, Spain and France, is one such compony. Co-founder and CEO Naomi Zhang said large overseas storage projects require credibility in four areas: technology, insurance, financing and capital markets. The technology comes from the company itself, she said, while Hong Kong has helped with the other three by connecting the firms with international insurers and financiers, supporting a local listing, and enabling R&D partnerships with local universities.

Naomi Zhang, co-founder and CEO of RelyEZ, introduces the company at its exhibition hall. (Photo: Wu Yuyangyang/People's Daily Online)

Another example is Shenzhen Jana Energy Technology Co., Ltd., a sodium-ion battery maker whose products are safe, long-lasting and cold-weather resistant. Founder and chief scientist Cao Yuliang said the company has set up an R&D center at the Hong Kong Science Park. He noted that Hong Kong has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, and that the demand of AI data centers is well suited to the characteristics of sodium-ion batteries.

Cao Yuliang (center), founder and chief scientist of Shenzhen Jana Energy Technology Co., Ltd., talks with colleagues. (Photo: Han Yuxuan/People's Daily Online)

Invest Hong Kong set up a sustainability team in 2022. King Leung, global head of financial services, fintech & sustainability at Invest Hong Kong, said the team serves as a bridge between policy and industry. As buildings use 90 percent of Hong Kong's electricity, the team has prioritized building energy efficiency. In May, nine firms including South Korea's Hyundai signed an agreement in Hong Kong to build a hydrogen ecosystem.

King Leung, global head of financial services, fintech & sustainability at Invest Hong Kong, sits for an interview with People's Daily Online. (Photo: Han Yuxuan/People's Daily Online)

Hong Kong also has Asia's largest green bond market, a position it has held for eight years. In 2023, the HKSAR government became one of the first governments to launch tokenized green bonds to combat "greenwashing."

In June, Invest Hong Kong led its first new energy delegation to the United Kingdom, including CATL. A post-visit survey found 80 percent of participants plan to expand in the UK within two years. Leung said the goal is to build a replicable service model extendable to the Middle East.

Lau added that Hong Kong combines the international financial center services with rich application scenarios, creating a "1+1>2" synergy.