Annual Report 2021

59 2021 Annual Report Transport International Holdings Limited Solar Bus to Reach Carbon Neutrality To address the global warming crisis, KMB has been actively promoting the use of renewable energy. The third generation solar power devices installed on bus roofs generate electricity that drives 16 fans in the air-conditioning system. Ventilators powered by solar panels will start when the temperature in the saloon reaches 35°C or above after the bus engine stops. The hot air inside the bus will be vented, lowering the temperature by 8 to 10°C and saving seven litres of fuel per bus each day while reducing the fuel consumption by 5 to 8%, equivalent to six tonnes of carbon emission per year. KMB has been developing solar energy devices on buses since 2017. The third generation has a larger coverage area than previous ones. Solar panels are only 2mm thin and can be Summer in Hong Kong is hot. The temperature inside bus compartments rises when buses are parked outdoor under bright sunlight. We used to start engines and air conditioners to cool the bus interiors before picking up passengers, causing higher fuel consumption. In view of this, we have conducted studies on installing solar panels on bus roofs to supply electricity to exhaust fans on buses to vent the hot air out; that is, using solar energy to solve the heat problem brought by the sun. We have been improving our solar panel designs by introducing ultra-thin solar panels as thin as 2mm. The new design makes the panels weigh less and have a larger coverage area that almost doubles the power supply efficiency. We have played a team effort throughout the process and are very happy to contribute to environmental protection. Reducing 6 tonnes of carbon emission per bus annually Reducing 8% of fuel consumption per bus daily directly pasted on bus roofs without installing aluminium frames, reducing the weight added to buses from 110kg to 70kg. The device also supplies electricity to the fans in the air conditioning system, increasing the energy efficiency by 33% when compared to that of the previous generation. Eric Cheung, Engineer at KMB CASE STUDY