Prof. Zhiguo Yuan AM Granted Green Tech Fund Support for Innovative Sewage Sludge Management Project

The Green Tech Fund (GTF), a funding initiative under the Hong Kong SAR Government, has approved support for a pioneering research project led by Professor Zhiguo Yuan AM from the School of Energy and Environment (SEE), City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK). This project was submitted in collaboration with Professor Wei WU (CityUHK), Professor Tao LIU (PolyU), and Professor Tong ZHANG (HKU), with strong support from industry partners, including the Hong Kong Drainage Services Department and Shenzhen Liyuan Water Design & Consultation Co., Ltd.

The funded project, “Reducing Wastes with Wastes: An Integrated Circular Approach to Sustainable Sewage Sludge Management”, pioneers an innovative “waste-treating-waste” concept to revolutionize sewage sludge management. By recovering materials and energy from sludge, the project seeks to dramatically cut sludge volume and transform treatment systems into carbon sinks, supporting Hong Kong’s vision of a carbon-neutral wastewater sector.

The research focuses on two core technological breakthroughs. The first is the development of an advanced anaerobic digester with a compact footprint, designed to suit densely populated megacities like Hong Kong. This digester will efficiently break down sludge solids while capturing bioenergy. The second innovation is an energy-efficient sludge pre-treatment process that uses materials extracted from sludge digestion liquor to enhance digestibility, ensuring effective processing in the compact digester. Together, these technologies will reduce the physical footprint of sludge treatment by 50%, increase biogas production by more than 30%, and improve sludge hydrolysis by over 50%.

A new paradigm for sewage sludge.

Beyond technological innovation, the project promises signifiScant environmental benefits. It is expected to achieve decarbonization of 250,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually in Hong Kong, and up to 6.2 million tonnes per year in the Greater Bay Area. The team also plans to patent key technologies, establish a spin-off for commercialization, and develop a three-stage decarbonization guideline for city-wide implementation and global adoption.

For more details on approved projects, please visit the Green Tech Fund website at:
https://www.gtf.gov.hk/en/project_information/approved_projects.html