Shell And St. Paul's Hospital Drive Low-Carbon Development In Hong Kong's Healthcare Sector City's First Hospital To Adopt Renewable Diesel Blend R33, Reducing Up To 30% Lifecycle CO_₂e Emissions

Shell Hong Kong Limited (Shell) and St. Paul's Hospital yesterday held the "Shell x St. Paul's Hospital – Integrated Decarbonisation Solutions Kick-off Ceremony", reinforcing their shared commitment to sustainable development. As one of the world's largest suppliers of biofuels, Shell has been promoting renewable diesel as a practical, lower-carbon energy solution. St. Paul's Hospital is the first hospital in Hong Kong to adopt Shell Renewable Diesel Blend R33 for its boiler system. The switch required no modification to its existing equipment and offers up to 30% less CO₂e emissions on a life cycle basis compared to EN 590 B0 diesel. In addition, St. Paul's Hospital installed Shell Recharge electric vehicle charging facilities in its parking lot and joined Shell’s CO₂ Compensation Programme as part of its low-carbon initiatives.

First hospital in Hong Kong: adopting renewable diesel for boiler systems
Shell is committed to “Power Progress Together” by working together with their customers and partners, to provide the energy products that people need to power their lives and businesses today, while helping to build the low-carbon energy system of the future. With Shell's support, St. Paul's Hospital has pioneered a healthcare first in Hong Kong to implement Shell Renewable Diesel Blend R33 to power its boiler system.

Renewable diesel: enabling value chain decarbonisation for businesses
In response to St. Paul's Hospital's need for a stable low-carbon energy solution, Shell introduced Renewable Diesel Blend R33, which offers up to 30% less CO₂e emissions on a life cycle basis compared to EN 590 B0 diesel, helping the hospital reduce value chain emissions and meet its Scope 1 and Scope 2 targets.

Compatible with conventional diesel equipment
The launch of Shell Renewable Diesel marks a significant milestone in Shell's support in the energy transition journey in Hong Kong. Mr. Dick Chan, General Manager of Shell Commercial Fuels – Hong Kong and Macau of Shell Hong Kong Limited, said: "We are honoured to witness St. Paul's Hospital becoming a low-carbon promoter in Hong Kong's healthcare sector, as the first to adopt Shell Renewable Diesel Blend R33. This represents the shared commitment of both the energy sector and the healthcare sector to work together for a sustainable future."

Businesses selecting sustainable low-carbon energy solutions often face challenges such as capital investment, equipment compatibility, and operational impact. Shell Renewable Diesel is fully compatible with conventional diesel boilers or engines and can serve as a direct replacement fuel without any modifications or adding new equipment, helping businesses lower costs and emissions. It also reduces regulated air pollutants, making it suitable for use across various industries including construction, transport and logistics, industrial operations, and healthcare.

Comprehensive technical support for a smooth transition
A hospital's boiler system is essential to daily operations. It supplies hot water and steam for the central heating system, wards, operating theatres, laundry services, and sterilisation equipment. Any disruption to boiler operations would have a significant impact on the hospital functioning. For this reason, St. Paul's Hospital places great importance on the stability of its fuel supply. Switching to Shell Renewable Diesel Blend R33 required no modification to the hospital's existing boiler system. To ensure a smooth transition, Shell provided professional technical support and conducted comprehensive inspections of the boiler system before the switch to ensure continued safe and reliable operation.

Mr. Gilbert Lee, General Manager of St. Paul's Hospital, welcomed the collaboration. He said: "It is an undeniable fact that renewable energy has become a key direction of future energy transition, aligning with the global trend towards low carbon and environmental sustainability. Looking ahead, St. Paul’s Hospital will continue to collaborate with different sectors to promote more practical and effective low-carbon measures, contributing to a greener and healthier future for both the hospital and the wider community.”

Advancing low-carbon operations towards a sustainable future
In addition, St. Paul’s Hospital continues to advance low-carbon operations through its collaboration with Shell, taking a multi-pronged approach to building a low-carbon energy ecosystem. This includes the installation of two 50kW Shell Recharge fast-charging facilities in the hospital’s parking lot, providing visitors and staff with a more environmentally friendly and convenient energy option. At the same time, the hospital has adopted low-carbon fuel solutions and actively participated in Shell’s CO_₂ Compensation Programme, supporting independently verified environmental, technology, and waste management projects. Through a simple and cost-efficient approach, these initiatives help compensate unavoidable carbon emissions from daily operations while promoting sustainable development in the communities where the projects are located.

Together, these initiatives not only enhance the hospital’s overall sustainability performance but also encourage the healthcare sector to explore low-carbon operational models, contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future.

Shell will continue to work with St. Paul's Hospital and other partners to promote practical low-carbon solutions, which fully support Hong Kong's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and create a sustainable environment for future generations.