I. Policy Review: Hydrogen Energy Policy Developments
(I) Domestic Policies
Ministry of Commerce:"Implementation Opinions on Expanding Green Trade." The opinions propose developing trade in sustainable fuels such as green hydrogen; promoting the use of transport vehicles and ships powered by clean energy sources like renewable synthetic fuels for foreign trade goods transportation; supporting eligible regions in conducting bunkering services for international vessels using bonded liquefied natural gas, biodiesel, green methanol, and green ammonia; accelerating the establishment of a green fuel certification system for shipping and promoting international mutual recognition.
Tangshan Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology, Hebei Province:"Public Announcement on the Allocation Plan for the Second-Year Subsidy Funds for Fuel Cell Vehicle Demonstration Applications in Tangshan City." According to the announcement, 10 enterprises across two city clusters will receive demonstration rewards for 789 fuel cell vehicles, with a total reward amount of 545.02 million yuan. Among these, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city cluster involves 4 enterprises with 58 units, and the Hebei city cluster involves 6 enterprises with 731 units.
Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, Daxing District:"Notice on Soliciting Projects for the 2024 'Interim Measures for Promoting the Development of the Hydrogen Energy Industry in Daxing District (2022 Revised Edition)'." To promote the high-quality development of the hydrogen energy industry, projects are now being solicited for the 2024 "Interim Measures for Promoting the Development of the Hydrogen Energy Industry in Daxing District (2022 Revised Edition)." I. Application Conditions: Specific application conditions are detailed in the 2024 "Interim Measures for Promoting the Development of the Hydrogen Energy Industry in Daxing District (2022 Revised Edition)" Application Guide (Appendix 2). II. Scope of Support: These measures apply to enterprises and non-enterprise units engaged in the hydrogen energy sector for technological innovation, achievement transformation, and platform construction to promote high-quality industrial development. The current solicitation covers Articles 4 to 12 of the "Interim Measures for Promoting the Development of the Hydrogen Energy Industry in Daxing District (2022 Revised Edition)."
Dalian City, Liaoning Province:"Public Announcement on the Application Projects for the 2024 Subsidy Funds for the Promotion and Application of Hydrogen Energy Vehicles." According to the announcement, there are a total of 63 projects applying for the 2024 subsidy funds for the promotion and application of hydrogen energy vehicles. The vehicle types involved include heavy-duty transport vehicles, large ordinary buses, light vans, fuel cell medium and large buses, fuel cell sweepers, and fuel cell vacuum trucks.
(II) Overseas Developments
Toyota Mirai:Mirai owners in California have filed a class-action lawsuit against Toyota, seeking $5.7 billion in compensation. The plaintiffs allege that the company concealed reliability issues, including fuel leaks, refueling failures, and acceleration problems, which rendered the Mirai unsafe and unsuitable for daily use. The lawsuit also alleges that Toyota continued to market and sell Mirai vehicles despite knowing that owners and drivers found it difficult to locate functioning hydrogen refueling stations. The plaintiffs claim that the lack of infrastructure has turned the promised practical zero-emission vehicle into an unreliable one.
Hyundai Motor:Held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new hydrogen fuel cell production plant in Ulsan, South Korea. The plant is expected to invest 930 billion won to develop next-generation hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers, adaptable for various mobility applications including passenger cars, commercial vehicles, construction equipment, and ships.
II. Enterprise Developments: Project Signings and Technical Cooperation
(I) Project Information
Guangzhou Tianhe District Urban Management and Comprehensive Law Enforcement Bureau:Opened a tender for seven hydrogen-powered sanitation vehicles, totaling 9.99 million yuan.
Zhongke Yitan Energy Technology (Dalian) Co., Ltd.:Honeywell and Zhongke Yitan Energy Technology (Dalian) Co., Ltd. entered into a strategic cooperation in the field of sustainable aviation fuel, jointly advancing the implementation of a 10kt ethanol-to-sustainable SAF fuel project in Zhoushan City, Zhejiang.
Taiyuan University of Technology:Issued a tender announcement for a hydrogen fuel cell power generation platform. The procured platform will be used to construct a hydrogen fuel cell power generation system in low-temperature environments for the Polar Clean Energy Laboratory, primarily for researching the performance of hydrogen fuel cell power generation devices under polar low-temperature conditions.
North China University of Technology:Released a tender announcement for the procurement of equipment for the comprehensive scientific research project in the drone field—specifically, research on new technologies for large hydrogen-electric hybrid long-endurance drones. The procurement involves one set of a heavy-load hybrid drone specialized research equipment platform.
Karamay Automobile Transport Co., Ltd.:Issued a tender announcement for a hydrogen fuel procurement project.
Kuailun Technology:Signed a phase two project with Hohhot Aerospace Economic Development Zone, planning to invest 100 million yuan to establish an intelligent manufacturing base for future transportation and low-altitude equipment.
(II) Enterprise Updates
EnN Energy Power Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.: Collaborated with Shanghai Meiyuan Power Technology Co., Ltd. to successfully complete the joint debugging of magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage and a micro gas turbine.
Oriental Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park Hydrogen Production and Refueling Station:Pioneered a new hydrogen supply model featuring on-site production and direct pipeline supply, with a hydrogen production efficiency of 600 Nm³/h.
Shenzhen Hydrogen Blue Era Power Technology Co., Ltd.: Completed a B+ round of financing, invested by the China-South Korea (Changchun) International Cooperation Demonstration Zone Science and Finance Investment Co., Ltd. Upon completion of this round, the investment company will hold a 0.9434% stake in Hydrogen Blue Era.
Hyundai Motor: Held an appreciation ceremony for its first hydrogen bus model, equipped with Hyundai Motor's HTWO Guangzhou's mature hydrogen fuel cell bus.
Beijing Hydro Ring Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: Formally signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Henan Dahe Siji Cold Chain Logistics Co., Ltd. The two parties will conduct in-depth cooperation in areas such as the construction of integrated hydrogen production and refueling stations, green hydrogen supply guarantee, and demonstration operation of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Sichuan Yazhou Petrochemical Energy Co., Ltd.: Sichuan Yazhou Petrochemical Energy Co., Ltd. was established, with Li Ping as its legal representative. Its business scope includes: operation of EV charging infrastructure; sales of NEV battery swapping facilities; sales of hydrogen refueling and storage facilities for stations, etc. Equity penetration analysis via Qichacha shows that the company is jointly owned by China Petrochemical Corporation's subsidiary China Petrochemical Sales Co., Ltd., among others.
III. Technological Progress: Breakthroughs in Efficiency and Cost
(I) Production, Storage, and Transportation Sector
Foshan Xianhu Laboratory: The industry's first "zero-carbon ammonia-fueled aluminum billet heating furnace" for aluminum extrusion production was launched at Foshan Xianhu Laboratory. This equipment achieves zero-carbon operation in the aluminum processing heating stage, marking a significant step forward in the green transformation of China's aluminum processing industry.
Shougang Group Co., Ltd.: Successfully developed a full series of hydrogen transmission pipeline steels (B/X42/X52/X60/X65MH), breaking through six key technical bottlenecks including hydrogen embrittlement damage and low-temperature toughness, and formed a relatively complete product matrix for hydrogen transmission pipeline steels.
Baoshishun (Qinhuangdao) Steel Pipe Co., Ltd., CNPC: Successfully trial-produced multiple specifications of "longitudinal submerged arc welded pipes" (D610x12.7/14.3mm, material/X60MH) for pure hydrogen transmission.
SPIC Central Research Institute: The hydrogen storage and transportation team of the Advanced Low Carbon Institute developed a large-diameter (DN150), high-pressure (10MPa) non-metallic flexible hydrogen transmission pipeline, which successfully achieved safe and stable operation for 30 days on a test platform.
Offshore Oil Engineering Special Equipment Branch: The self-developed design achievement of a "cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage tank" for deep-sea floating platforms received the Principle Approval (AIP) certificate from China Classification Society (CCS), signifying that the achievement's safety and reliability fully comply with the classification society's specifications.
Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences: Breakthrough in Alkaline Electrolyzer Membrane Technology: Developed an ultra-thin (20μm) composite separator, increasing the electrolysis system efficiency to 85% (LHV) with a lifespan exceeding 60,000 hours.
(II) Fuel Cell Technology/Product Developments
Qingneng Co., Ltd.:Launched a 3MW fuel cell power generation system applicable for backup power scenarios in data centers.
CIMC ENRIC:Its Jingmen Hongtu company's first marine methanol supply skid successfully passed certification from the China Classification Society, obtaining the CCS product certificate.
Hydrogen Green Power New Energy (Wuhan) Co., Ltd.:A micro landscaping sprinkler truck, equipped with a hydrogen internal combustion engine 2.0T power system and a built-in micro PEM hydrogen production device.
Liaoning General Aviation Academy:China's first four-seat electric-electric hybrid aircraft, the RX4M, independently developed by the team of Academician Yang Fengtian at the Liaoning General Aviation Academy of Shenyang Aerospace University, successfully completed its maiden flight at Shenyang Faku Caihu Airport, contributing the "China Solution" to the global development of electric aircraft.
Dongfang Hydrogen Energy:Obtained a patent in the field of fuel cell technology for a system that improves the humidity of incoming stack air.
Georgia Power:Announced the successful completion of the second hydrogen-natural gas blended fuel experiment for the M501GAC natural gas turbine, developed in cooperation with Mitsubishi Power, under partial and full load conditions.
US Hydrogen Energy Association (DoE) Leads Formation of the "Hydrogen Refueling Station Compatibility Alliance":Aiming to unify the 70MPa hydrogen refueling gun interface standards, eliminate refueling protocol barriers for automakers like Toyota, Hyundai, and Nikola, and promote interoperability of the hydrogen refueling network.
