Digital Storage Network – Hydrogen Storage – Accelerating the Development and Utilization of the Hydrogen Energy Industry
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Recently at the 2025 International Hydrogen Energy Conference and International Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Industry Exhibition, a series of innovative, efficient, and advanced hydrogen energy products, technologies, and solutions were unveiled. Highlights included the world’s first “replaceable hydrogen” heavy-duty truck that can be refueled in just five minutes, with a single operational range of up to 500 kilometers, rivaling traditional fuel vehicles in refueling efficiency. Additionally, an integrated intelligent hydrogen refueling robot capable of autonomous refueling for extended periods was introduced, significantly reducing labor costs. Other notable innovations included hydrogen-powered drones with exceptional range and low-temperature resistance, and 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, there is increasing attention on how to develop and utilize hydrogen energy effectively and orderly. The current global energy landscape is undergoing profound adjustments, with a new phase of green transformation underway and a new wave of technological revolution and industrial change emerging. Hydrogen energy, recognized as a green, low-carbon, and flexible energy source, has become a crucial option for major economies in advancing low-carbon energy transitions.
As the largest producer and consumer of hydrogen globally, China is strategically cultivating hydrogen energy as a key emerging industry and future energy source. In March 2022, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration issued the “Medium and Long-term Development Plan for the Hydrogen Energy Industry (2021-2035),” which outlined the strategic positioning of hydrogen energy and set goals for establishing a hydrogen energy supply system and promoting its applications. The implementation of the “Energy Law of the People’s Republic of China” in January 2025 confirmed the central role of hydrogen energy in the energy sector, with various measures introduced to support the high-quality development of the hydrogen industry, further accelerating its industrialization.
Rapid advancements in renewable energy hydrogen production technology were showcased at the exhibition, with many leading hydrogen companies presenting their new electrolyzer products, indicating a flourishing landscape of innovation. In the transportation sector, numerous companies displayed next-generation high-power density fuel cell stacks and long-lifetime membrane electrode technologies, achieving performance metrics at the international forefront. Guangzhou Haipote Technology’s flagship hydrogen fuel cell truck model, the H49, boasts a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, marking a significant breakthrough in China’s hydrogen commercial vehicle technology.
Bian Guangqi, Deputy Director of the Energy Conservation and Technology Equipment Department of the National Energy Administration, noted that China is seeing positive development across all aspects of the hydrogen industry, including production, storage, transportation, and utilization. Large-scale renewable energy hydrogen production projects in Xinjiang and Ningxia have been completed, demonstrating a comprehensive process from renewable hydrogen generation to storage and application. By 2024, global renewable energy hydrogen production capacity is expected to exceed 250,000 tons, with China accounting for over 50%, establishing itself as a leading region in renewable hydrogen production and related industries.
As 2025 marks the conclusion of the “14th Five-Year Plan” and the planning year for the “15th Five-Year Plan,” Bian emphasized the need to continue implementing the medium- and long-term development plan for the hydrogen industry. This includes increasing policy support, clarifying development goals and pathways in the upcoming “15th Five-Year Plan,” and promoting a scientific layout of hydrogen projects and industries to foster coordinated development across the entire hydrogen value chain. Additionally, enhancing industry management and establishing comprehensive project management regulations for hydrogen energy will ensure standardized industry growth.
The “Energy Law of the People’s Republic of China” mandates the orderly advancement of hydrogen energy development and utilization, fostering high-quality industry growth. Including hydrogen energy in the Energy Law signifies the nation’s commitment to developing hydrogen energy and transforming the energy structure, while also indicating the overall direction for improving the hydrogen industry’s institutional framework and raising the bar for industry development and management.
Overall, the hydrogen industry is still in its early stages and faces numerous practical challenges, particularly in terms of economic viability. Yan Guochun, a member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy General Manager of the State Energy Group, emphasized the need to create an open and innovative ecosystem to facilitate global cooperation in the hydrogen industry supply chain, leveraging global innovation resources and achievements to pragmatically advance the development of a scalable and beneficial hydrogen industry.
Economic feasibility is a key factor for the large-scale adoption of hydrogen energy. According to academician Gan Yong from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, there are three main levers to reduce costs for green hydrogen: enhancing hydrogen production efficiency in regions rich in renewable resources, establishing large-capacity hydrogen transport networks for areas with high hydrogen demand, and focusing on geological hydrogen storage capabilities using suitable caverns or abandoned mines.
To drive down costs in the hydrogen industry, it is essential to accelerate technological innovation and strengthen support for energy technology innovation platforms, R&D efforts, and integrated application demonstrations, facilitating the convergence of technology and industry. “China has established several research institutes and innovation platforms related to the hydrogen industry, creating a preliminary full industrial chain and technology chain while actively pursuing key technological breakthroughs,” said Peng Suping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a member of the Strategic Guidance Committee of the China Hydrogen Energy Alliance. The research released by the China Hydrogen Energy Alliance indicates that by 2035, off-grid hydrogen production from renewable energy will become a significant development trend, with a continuous decrease in electricity prices for renewable energy and accelerated iterations of electrolytic water hydrogen production technology, optimizing the cost of hydrogen at the terminal use level, particularly in transportation and industrial sectors.
To further advance the hydrogen energy sector, it is recommended to sustain and enhance support for hydrogen technology innovation, addressing China’s current technological shortcomings while integrating the latest global advancements and future trends. This will involve reinforcing comprehensive, standardized, and top-level design guidance and developing a national-level hydrogen energy development technology roadmap to continuously improve the hydrogen technology innovation system and promote high-quality development within the industry.
Ocean hydrogen energy represents a strategic concept that merges the energy revolution with the construction of a maritime power, forming a vital part of the global hydrogen supply system and serving as a breakthrough point for large-scale offshore wind power development. By converting wind and solar resources locally into green hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, this approach addresses challenges related to the consumption of renewable energy in deep-sea environments, extends the value chain toward hydrogen-based green fuels, and significantly supports the construction of global green shipping corridors, thus ensuring national energy security and promoting international trade of hydrogen-based fuels.
On March 27, China’s first integrated marine hydrogen and ammonia project was completed in Yantai, Shandong, and has officially entered the testing phase, laying the foundation for operational commissioning and verifying the entire process of offshore hydrogen production. This project is a collaboration among the State Energy Group Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd., Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore Engineering Co., Ltd., and Guoneng Hydrogen Innovation Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. The project will utilize offshore renewable energy for off-grid hydrogen production and further convert green hydrogen into easily stored ammonia and methanol, both of which serve as clean fuels for vessels and essential industrial raw materials with wide applications in chemical production and energy sectors.
China’s coastal regions and waters are rich in wind, solar, and seawater resources, providing a significant advantage for producing green hydrogen from green electricity. Utilizing seawater for direct electrolysis to produce hydrogen can convert unstable and challenging-to-store green electricity into relatively easily stored and consumed green hydrogen resources, thereby conserving valuable freshwater resources and opening new avenues for the hydrogen energy industry.
The successful advancement of the first integrated marine hydrogen and ammonia project signifies a comprehensive breakthrough in offshore hydrogen production technology. CIMC introduced corrosion-resistant alkaline electrolyzer technology, while the Tsinghua University Research Institute developed megawatt-level direct seawater electrolysis devices that overcome traditional freshwater electrolysis limitations. The successful application of modular hydrogen production equipment from Tsinghua University has proven reliable in real marine scenarios. Jinwind Technology proposed a model for coordinated scheduling of wind power hydrogen production and energy storage to achieve efficient energy utilization. The China Classification Society published the “Design Guidelines for Offshore Hydrogen Production Platforms,” which fills a gap in the industry by providing the first design specifications for offshore hydrogen production facilities. Shenneng Group proposed an engineering demonstration plan for “hydrogen production on offshore wind floating platforms.”
As technology matures and costs decrease, seawater hydrogen production technology is expected to achieve large-scale industrial application in the future. Currently, China is accelerating research on seawater hydrogen production, with domestic universities and research institutions actively engaging in technological breakthroughs in this field.
Liu Wei, Secretary-General of the China Hydrogen Energy Alliance, Director of the Hydrogen Energy Division of the State Energy Group, and General Manager of Guohua Investment (Hydrogen Energy Company), mentioned that the three major scenarios for marine hydrogen energy include “half-sea half-land” offshore wind energy aiding industrial decarbonization, “fully offshore” hydrogen and ammonia integrated energy hubs, and “zero-carbon islands” providing comprehensive marine hydrogen energy solutions. According to the China Hydrogen Energy Alliance’s pathway analysis, marine hydrogen energy is set to realize the vision of offshore energy hubs. It is recommended to promote marine hydrogen energy development from the perspectives of technology, equipment, regulations, and industrial policies, creating a marine hydrogen-based energy network and facilitating the establishment of a global legal framework and international conventions for marine hydrogen energy.
