Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Donald Tsang said Wednesday that the government will step up its effort to make the city greener.

More electric cars, higher proportion of natural-gas in power generation and replacement of less-energy efficient light bulbs are among the series of measures to be taken in the months to follow.

Tsang told the Legislative Council that the government is committed to promoting green procurement, aiming to set up a role model for the business sector and lend momentum to the development of environmental industries in Hong Kong.

The government is now working with several electric car manufacturers and it is expected 200 such vehicles will be in the Hong Kong market in the following financial year, Tsang said.

Meanwhile, the government is also in talks with two power companies to launch an electric vehicle leasing scheme by the end of 2010. "By the time the two programs are implemented, Hong Kong will rank second, only after Japan, where electric vehicles are most widely used," Tsang said.

To improve air quality and cut carbon emission, the government also plans to raise the proportion of using natural gas for local electricity generation from the current 28 percent to 50 percent, in addition to extending power-supply contracts with mainland companies, Tsang said.

Aside from these specific measures to improve the local environment, the government also managed to get some Hong Kong enterprises involved in the Clean Development Mechanism projects in the Chinese mainland.

"Energy efficiency projects and the development of new or renewable energy are areas where green business opportunities are open to Hong Kong enterprises," Tsang said.