Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) Director Raymond Tam Vai Man said yesterday that the bureau will launch a pilot scheme to install rechargeable battery exchange cabinets for electric motorcycles in six open space areas.
Tam made the remarks on the sidelines of yesterday’s “Macau Green Hotel Award” ceremony at the bureau, adding he expected the cabinets at the six sites to be up and running in the second half of the year.
Tam noted that the six sites will be located in Rua da Doca Seca, Avenida da Amizade, Reservoir Park, the sitting-out area in Rua da Barca, Taipa Central Park, and Rua Central da Areia Preta, adding that some members of the public were of the view that it would be inconvenient to install all the cabinets in public carparks for riders to exchange their motorbike batteries there.
Therefore, Tam said, the bureau planned to work with the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) to give e-motorcycle riders a variety of options in terms of battery exchanges, and that the bureau would carry out minor construction work at the sites in due course. He stressed that this would not involve major road works.
As for the feasibility of installing charging facilities for e-cars at the bottom of flyovers, Tam said that the bureau was looking at possible flyover locations together with the Transport Bureau (DSAT) and Power utility CEM.
Green Hotel Award
The annual “Macau Green Hotel Award” ceremony took place yesterday, and 15 hotels were awarded for their eco-friendly approaches by saving energy or processing kitchen waste.
During the ceremony, Tam said that the number of award-winning hotels has risen from eight in the first edition in 2007 to 54 now, adding that he was grateful for the industry’s support and cooperation in environmental protection, and for actively enhancing hotels’ environmental protection performance, fulfilling their social responsibility and contributing to the sustainable development of Macau’s tourism industry.
This year the Gold Award went to MGM Cotai, The Venetian Macao, Four Seasons Hotel Macao, The Parisian Macao, Grand Hyatt Macau, Harbourview Hotel Macau, and Galaxy Hotel.
Tam said a number of award-winning hotels no longer provide disposable toiletries in their guestrooms or have replaced them with non-plastic products, while some have replaced plastic bottled water with glass bottles, and a number of hotels have continued to install charging facilities for electric vehicles, providing them for use by the general public, with nearly 300 electric vehicle charging spaces, of which about 30 percent are for e-motorcycles.
The ”green hotel” distinctions are valid for three years.
According to official statistics, Macau had 143 hotels at the end of April.
Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) Director Raymond Tam Vai Man (fifth from right, front) and local hotel executives pose during yesterday’s Macao Green Hotel Award ceremony at the DSPA headquarters. – Photo by DSPA
