During the recent 2025 International Hydrogen Energy Conference and International Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Industry Exhibition, visitors were introduced to a range of innovative hydrogen energy products and solutions, showcasing the rapid advancements in the hydrogen industry.
Among the highlights were the world’s first “hydrogen exchange” heavy-duty truck, which can refuel in just five minutes and achieve an operating range of 500 kilometers, offering refueling efficiency comparable to traditional fuel vehicles. Additionally, an integrated intelligent hydrogen refueling robot can autonomously refuel for extended periods, significantly reducing labor costs. Other notable innovations included hydrogen-powered drones with exceptional endurance and resilience to low temperatures, as well as seawater hydrogen production equipment that conserves precious freshwater resources, paving new paths for the hydrogen energy industry.
As China accelerates the construction of its new energy system, the orderly and proactive development and utilization of hydrogen energy have become focal points of discussion.
Positive Trends in Hydrogen Energy Development
Currently, the global energy landscape is undergoing profound adjustments as the green transition enters a new phase, fueled by a new wave of technological revolutions and industrial transformations. Hydrogen energy, characterized as a green, low-carbon, and versatile energy source, has emerged as a crucial choice for major economies to promote low-carbon energy transformation.
As the world’s largest producer and consumer of hydrogen, China has positioned hydrogen energy as a strategic emerging industry and a key focus for future energy development. In March 2022, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration issued the “Medium and Long-Term Plan for Hydrogen Energy Industry Development (2021-2035),” which clearly defined the strategic positioning of hydrogen energy and established goals for creating a hydrogen supply system and promoting applications.
The “Energy Law of the People’s Republic of China,” which came into effect in January 2025, emphasizes the primary role of hydrogen energy and has led to the implementation of several specific measures to support the high-quality development of the hydrogen sector, further accelerating the industrialization of hydrogen energy.
Advancements in renewable energy hydrogen production technology have been rapid. At the exhibition, many renowned hydrogen energy manufacturers showcased their new electrolyzer products, reflecting a blossoming of innovation. In the transportation sector, numerous companies presented the next generation of high-power density fuel cell stacks and long-life membrane electrode technologies, achieving performance metrics that match international standards. The flagship model H49 from Guangzhou Haipote Technology, which boasts a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, marks a significant breakthrough in China’s hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicle technology.
According to Bian Guangqi, deputy director of the Energy Conservation and Technology Equipment Department of the National Energy Administration, China’s hydrogen energy industry is exhibiting positive growth across all stages of “production, storage, transportation, and utilization.” Large-scale renewable energy hydrogen production projects have been established in regions such as Kuqa in Xinjiang and Ningdong in Ningxia, demonstrating the entire process from renewable hydrogen generation to storage and application.
Looking ahead to 2024, global renewable energy hydrogen production capacity is expected to exceed 250,000 tons, with China accounting for over 50%. This positions China as a leading region for renewable energy hydrogen production and related industry development.
As 2025 marks the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the planning year for the 15th Five-Year Plan, Bian Guangqi emphasized the need to continue implementing the mid- to long-term hydrogen energy industry development plan. This involves increasing policy support, clarifying development goals and pathways in the 15th Five-Year Plan, promoting the scientific layout of hydrogen energy projects and industries, and fostering coordinated development across the entire hydrogen energy chain. Additionally, there will be an emphasis on improving industry management and establishing robust project management norms for hydrogen energy initiatives.
Advancing with Scale and Benefits
The “Energy Law of the People’s Republic of China” explicitly states the need to actively and orderly promote the development and utilization of hydrogen energy to facilitate high-quality growth within the hydrogen industry. Including hydrogen energy in the energy law reflects the nation’s determination to develop hydrogen energy and transform the energy structure, while also highlighting the overall direction for improving the institutional framework for the hydrogen industry and setting higher standards for industry development and management.
However, as Yan Guochun, member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of the State Energy Group, noted, the hydrogen energy industry remains in its early stages of industrialization and faces many practical challenges, including economic viability. Therefore, it is crucial to foster an open and innovative ecosystem, promote global cooperation in the hydrogen supply chain, and leverage global innovation resources to advance the hydrogen energy industry effectively and at scale.
Economic viability is central to the large-scale adoption of hydrogen energy. According to Gan Yong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, three main strategies can help reduce the cost of green hydrogen: enhancing hydrogen production capabilities in areas rich in renewable resources, developing large-capacity hydrogen transport pipelines for regions with high hydrogen consumption, and employing geological hydrogen storage solutions, utilizing suitable rock caverns or abandoned mines.
To sustain the downward trend in hydrogen energy costs, the focus should be on accelerating technological innovation and enhancing support for energy technology innovation platforms, technological breakthroughs, and integrated application demonstrations. “China has established several research institutions and innovation platforms related to the hydrogen energy industry, forming an initial hydrogen energy value chain and actively pursuing key technological research and development,” stated Peng Suping, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a member of the Strategic Guidance Committee of the China Hydrogen Alliance.
The “China Hydrogen Technology Development Roadmap” released by the China Hydrogen Alliance indicates that by 2035, off-grid hydrogen production from renewable electricity will become a significant trend, with continuous declines in renewable electricity prices and accelerated advancements in electrolysis technology. The primary hydrogen application scenarios will remain concentrated in transportation and industry, with further development in the application of hydrogen in power generation and construction sectors.
Peng Suping recommends that support for hydrogen technology innovation be continuously strengthened. Addressing current weaknesses in China’s hydrogen technology while considering the latest domestic and international developments and future trends will be essential. It is important to enhance the comprehensive, standardized, and top-level design guidance to formulate a national hydrogen development technology roadmap, continuously improving the hydrogen technology innovation system and promoting high-quality development in the hydrogen industry.
Stepping Further into the Deep Sea
Marine hydrogen energy is a strategic topic that intertwines the energy revolution with the construction of a strong maritime nation. It represents a vital component of the global hydrogen supply system and is a breakthrough point for large-scale development of deep-sea wind energy. By converting local wind and solar resources into green hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, this approach not only addresses the challenge of integrating deep-sea renewable energy but also extends the value chain into hydrogen-based green fuels. This will significantly support the construction of global green shipping corridors and become a strategic lever for ensuring national energy security and promoting international trade in hydrogen-based fuels.
On March 27, China’s first marine hydrogen-ammonia-methanol integrated project was completed in Yantai, Shandong, and has officially entered the commissioning phase, laying the groundwork for the project’s operation and comprehensive verification of offshore hydrogen production processes. This project was jointly constructed by the State Energy Group Hydrogen Technology Co., Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore Engineering Co., and Guoneng Hydrogen Innovation Technology (Beijing) Co. The project utilizes offshore renewable energy for off-grid hydrogen production and converts green hydrogen into easily storable ammonia and methanol, both of which serve as clean fuels for ships and important industrial raw materials widely used in chemical production and energy sectors.
China’s coastal regions and waters are rich in wind, solar, and seawater resources, providing significant advantages for producing green hydrogen from green electricity. Directly electrolyzing seawater for hydrogen production enables the conversion of unstable and difficult-to-store green electricity into relatively easy-to-store green hydrogen resources while conserving precious freshwater resources, thus opening new avenues for hydrogen energy development.
The successful advancement of the first marine hydrogen-ammonia-methanol integrated project signifies a breakthrough in China’s offshore hydrogen production technology across the entire value chain. Innovations include the development of corrosion-resistant alkaline electrolyzer technology by CIMC, breakthroughs in megawatt-level direct seawater electrolysis devices by Tsinghua University Research Institute, and the successful application of modular technology in real marine scenarios. Additionally, Goldwind Technology has proposed a coordinated dispatch model for wind power hydrogen production and energy storage, while the China Classification Society has released the “Design Guidelines for Marine Hydrogen Production Platforms,” filling a gap in industry standards for offshore hydrogen production facilities. Shenneng Group has also introduced a demonstration plan for hydrogen production from offshore wind power floating platforms.
As technology matures and costs decrease, seawater hydrogen production technology is expected to achieve large-scale industrial applications in the future. Currently, China is accelerating the research into seawater hydrogen production technology, with universities and research institutions actively conducting technological breakthroughs in this field.
Liu Wei, Secretary-General of the China Hydrogen Alliance and Director of the Hydrogen Business Unit of the State Energy Group, stated that the three primary scenarios for marine hydrogen energy include nearshore “semi-marine and semi-land” wind energy assisting industrial decarbonization, “fully marine” offshore hydrogen-ammonia-methanol integrated energy hubs, and “zero-carbon islands” providing integrated marine hydrogen energy solutions. Based on the China Hydrogen Alliance’s considerations for pathways, marine hydrogen energy is poised to realize the vision of offshore energy hubs. Liu recommends promoting the development of marine hydrogen energy from the perspectives of technology, equipment, regulations, and industrial policies, creating a marine hydrogen energy network, and advancing the establishment of a global legal framework and international treaties for marine hydrogen energy.
