Under the global trend of vehicle electrification, China's and the European and American NEV markets have maintained high growth, driving the expansion of battery enterprises; wind power and PV installations continue to grow, and the demand for energy storage and filtering shows considerable growth prospects. Downstream automotive electronics and server sectors in the electronic circuit copper foil industry have maintained good growth with state support; with the advent of the 5G era, a new wave of development in the consumer electronics industry has driven production growth of high-performance flexible copper clad laminates. However, as copper foil enterprises continuously release new capacity in and outside China, fierce competition has brought severe profit challenges. Capacity integration, cost reduction and efficiency improvement, and enhancing product competitiveness have become the core of industry development. SMM , in response to the demands of industry users, as an independent third-party platform, with the aim of promoting the development of the global copper foil industry, has organized and sorted out copper foil industry resources in and outside China for market reference and study. Here, we join hands with Jinfeng Precious Metals Materials (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. to sincerely invite outstanding enterprises and industry experts to assist in the production of , and to provide your valuable suggestions, jointly making positive contributions to the development of the copper foil industry. We strive to present a more objective industry landscape, and will invite all sectors of the industry chain to participate in production and supervision, helping to promote the distribution and dissemination of the global copper foil industry map throughout the process! (Click the link to get it for free: ) Jinfeng Precious Metals Materials (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. is based in Jiangsu, serving the entire country. It is a comprehensive full-industry-chain service provider integrating precious metal scrap recycling, coating removal processing, high-purity precious metal powders, precious metal compounds, and catalytic material production and sales. It has deeply cultivated the fields of copper foil, chlor-alkali chemical industry, and water treatment electrolytic electrode recycling and regeneration, with complete recycling qualifications and guaranteed compliant operations. The company's core business focuses on waste electrode recycling and substrate regeneration. It specializes in the recycling and disposal of waste iridium-coated anode plates from copper foil plants, as well as ruthenium-iridium coated anode meshes and ruthenium-platinum coated cathode meshes from chlor-alkali and water treatment industries, supported by a mature back-pull anode coating removal process. This process completely strips the precious metal coating and returns the titanium substrate intact, significantly reducing clients' raw material loss costs and achieving dual recycling of both titanium and precious metals. With in-house standardized production and purification workshops, we mass-produce high-purity precious metal raw materials. Our main products include 99.95 high-purity iridium powder, 99.95 high-purity ruthenium powder, as well as precious metal salts such as chloroiridic acid, ammonium chloroiridate, iridium trichloride, and ruthenium trichloride, and we also supply various precious metal catalysts. All products strictly comply with national industry standards, ensuring stable purity and controllable quality, suitable for multiple industrial scenarios such as electrolysis, electroplating, and chemical catalysis. Our business covers all categories of precious metals including platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, gold, and silver, integrating the entire process from scrap recycling, hydrometallurgical refining, powder synthesis, compound preparation, to finished product sales. The company adheres to the concept of green recycling development, relying on mature hydrometallurgical purification technology, achieving high precious metal recovery rates, transparent pricing, and efficient settlement. We have long served upstream and downstream enterprises in the new energy copper foil, chlor-alkali, environmental water treatment, and fine chemical industries, providing industrial clients with one-stop precious metal recycling solutions through compliant qualifications, stable supply, and comprehensive after-sales service. Jinfeng Precious Metals Materials (Jiangsu) Co., Ltd. Contact: Director Du Tel: 138 6166 6239 Address: No. 1079 Binjiang West Road, Jiangyin, Jiangsu SMM Contact Bao Jinyong 13159338158 baojinyong@smm.cn

This week, China's platinum group metals (PGMs) and compounds market overall strengthened in line with raw material metal prices, exhibiting operational characteristics of "slight correction in raw materials with rigid cost transmission for compounds." Ruthenium-based compounds fluctuated at highs, platinum-based compounds were slightly raised under raw material cost support, palladium-based compounds performed relatively mediocre due to weak downstream automotive industry influence, while rhodium and iridium compounds continued to stay high and firm. Overall, the current PGM compounds market showed significant differentiation in supply-demand structure, with the tight supply pattern on the raw material side remaining unchanged, strong cost-side support for prices, and downstream demand presenting a landscape of weakness in traditional sectors alongside sustained high growth in emerging applications. Platinum-Based Compounds (Chloroplatinic Acid) Market Analysis Among platinum-based compounds, chloroplatinic acid, as the mainstream product, saw prices rise in sync with spot platinum prices. The price center for industrial-grade chloroplatinic acid shifted slightly upward, while high-purity electronic-grade and catalyst-grade products maintained relatively higher premium levels. Demand structure side, fuel cell catalysts are expected to become the main driver boosting platinum-based compound demand. With the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan hydrogen energy subsidy policies, demand for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is expected to be stimulated, correspondingly driving demand for platinum-based catalysts. Palladium-Based Compounds (Palladium Chloride) Market Analysis Affected by raw material prices, palladium-based compound prices recovered somewhat this week. However, from a supply and demand perspective, palladium fundamentals remained weak, with sustained pressure on demand in the downstream automotive exhaust catalyst sector, dragging down overall palladium compound consumption. Nevertheless, in areas such as electronic electroplating, PCB, and pharmaceutical intermediates, palladium compound demand still maintained certain resilience, providing bottom support for prices. Ruthenium-Based Compounds (Ruthenium Trichloride) Market Analysis Affected by raw materials, ruthenium trichloride prices stayed high. This round of ruthenium-based strength was mainly driven by the surge in metallic ruthenium, with cost-side pressure fully transmitted to the compound end. Demand side showed explosive growth; with the R&D and application promotion of platinum-ruthenium carbon catalysts, demand expanded in applications such as methanol fuel cell anodes and anti-poisoning electrodes. Supply side, incremental ruthenium supply remained limited, spot cargo in the market was tight, and some high-purity grades even saw hold-back-from-selling sentiment, making prices more likely to rise than fall. Rhodium and Iridium Compounds Market Rhodium and iridium compounds maintained high and firm operations this week. Rhodium trichloride prices remained strong, supported by rigid demand from automotive catalysts, while demand in high-end chemical catalysis remained stable, and tight mine output on the supply side continued to provide price support. Chloroiridic acid, as the mainstream precursor for iridium-based catalysts, fluctuated at highs driven by demand from PEM electrolysis cells and other applications. Market Outlook In the short term, PGM compound prices will still be dominated by raw material metal trends. Platinum-based compounds are expected to maintain a steady-to-rising trend, supported by the supply-demand gap and hydrogen energy demand.

In the fields of precious and rare metals, compared with well-known categories such as gold, silver, and platinum-group metals, osmium has always remained a niche yet highly distinctive presence. With its unmatched physicochemical properties, it has become an indispensable key material in high-end industry and scientific research. Even though it receives limited market attention, it still possesses irreplaceable value. This article will provide a comprehensive breakdown of osmium metal, covering its basic properties, resource supply, application scenarios, and market characteristics, to offer a full understanding of this “king of density.” I. First Encounter with Osmium: A Hardcore Outlier Among the Platinum-Group Metals Osmium, with the chemical symbol Os and atomic number 76, belongs to the platinum-group metals. It is a Group VIII transition metal on the periodic table and also one of the rarest metals found in nature. As one of the six major members of the platinum-group metal family, osmium has no independent ore deposits and is commonly associated with platinum, iridium, ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium. It can only be recovered through purification during platinum ore smelting and cannot be extracted through standalone large-scale mining. This inherent characteristic directly defines its scarcity. Osmium’s physicochemical properties are truly unique in the world of metals, with highly recognizable core characteristics: first, it has the highest density in the world. Under standard conditions at 20°C, its density reaches 22.59 g/cm³, far exceeding that of gold (19.32 g/cm³) and platinum (21.45 g/cm³). It is currently the densest naturally occurring metal known, and at the same volume, it weighs far more than various conventional precious metals. Second, it demonstrates excellent high-temperature resistance, with a melting point of 3,033°C and a boiling point exceeding 5,000°C. It remains highly stable in high-temperature environments and can adapt to various industrial and scientific applications under extreme heat. Third, it has outstanding hardness and strong corrosion resistance. With a Mohs hardness of 7, it is hard, durable, and wear-resistant, and is difficult to corrode under conventional acidic or alkaline conditions. However, its drawbacks are also quite evident: it is highly brittle and has extremely poor plasticity, making it impossible to process through conventional mechanical methods, so it is mostly used in powder or alloy form. A key safety precaution must be emphasized here: when osmium metal is heated in air to above 100°C, it slowly oxidizes to form osmium tetroxide (OsO₄). This substance is highly irritating, highly volatile, and somewhat toxic. Therefore, the entire process involving osmium, including production smelting, storage and transportation, and deep processing, must be carried out under the protection of inert gas and in strict compliance with operational standards. These exceptionally high compliance and control requirements further raise the barriers to osmium’s production and application. II. Extreme Scarcity: Osmium’s Resource Endowment and Supply Landscape Osmium is far rarer than commonly recognized precious metals such as gold and platinum, and it can be regarded as a “niche treasure” in the precious metals sector. Relevant data show that the average abundance of osmium in the Earth’s crust is only about 0.001 ppm, making it one of the least abundant stable elements in the crust. Globally, identified recoverable reserves are extremely limited, and resource distribution is highly concentrated, without the formation of widely distributed ore deposits. Supply side, the scarcity of osmium is even more pronounced. As there are no standalone mines, global osmium production is entirely dependent on platinum ore mining and smelting, with capacity remaining at an extremely low level year-round. Global annual production is about 1 mt (data from the International Platinum Group Metals Association), while China’s annual production is less than 100 kg, with supply far below that of other platinum group metals. From the global supply landscape, traditional major platinum group metal-producing countries such as South Africa and Russia control the vast majority of the world’s osmium resources and smelting capacity. Industry supply shows a highly monopolized pattern, with extremely low supply elasticity. Minor changes in mining progress, geopolitical conditions, environmental protection-related controls policies, and platinum group metal smelting capacity all directly affect global osmium supply. This dual characteristic of “inherent resource scarcity + constrained supply” has kept the osmium market in a long-term tight supply-demand balance and has also given it strong price resilience and fluctuation elasticity, securing a unique position in the rare metals market. 3. Exclusive to High-End, Cutting-Edge Applications: Core Application Scenarios of Osmium Although osmium has limited production and a relatively narrow range of applications, its exceptional physical and chemical properties have enabled it to take root precisely in high-end niche fields, making it an irreplaceable core material in many advanced applications. Downstream demand is concentrated and highly rigid, with no low-cost substitutes currently available. Its core applications are mainly concentrated in four major fields: 1. Special Hard Alloys: Core Raw Material for High-End Wear-Resistant Components Osmium-based alloys made by melting osmium with metals such as iridium and platinum combine ultra-high hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, making them key core materials for high-end precision instruments. These alloys are widely used in high-precision bearings for high-end watches and precision instruments, premium fountain pen nibs, professional turntable styluses, medical precision scalpels, and high-end wear-resistant mechanical components. They can significantly improve component service life and durability, making them suitable for long-term, high-load, high-wear operating environments, and they are core wear-resistant materials in the high-end manufacturing sector. 2. Industrial Catalysis: Dedicated High-Efficiency Additive for Fine Chemicals Osmium and its compounds have excellent catalytic activity and serve as dedicated catalysts in certain fine chemical and organic synthesis reactions. Especially in special chemical processes such as hydrogenation and oxidation reactions, they offer high catalytic efficiency and strong reaction selectivity, effectively optimizing process flows and improving product purity and yield. Although the unit consumption of osmium catalysts is extremely low, they are rigid process necessities and are difficult to replace with other common metal catalysts, resulting in relatively strong downstream demand stability. 3. Scientific Research and Detection: Essential Specialty Consumable for Laboratories Although osmium tetroxide is toxic, it has irreplaceable value in scientific research. It is a high-quality staining agent for biological samples and microscopic material sections under electron microscopes, significantly enhancing the clarity and contrast of observed samples, and is an indispensable experimental reagent in frontier research fields such as materials science and life sciences. Meanwhile, high-purity osmium powder was also widely used in high-end scientific research experiments and the R&D of specialized new materials, serving as a niche but essential consumable for major research institutes and high-end laboratories. 4. High-End Specialized Fields: Core Components for Military and Aerospace Applications Leveraging its core advantages of high density, high-temperature resistance, and high stability, osmium was also applied in specialized high-temperature components for aerospace and military applications, precision guidance components, as well as niche scenarios such as high-end electrical contacts and wear-resistant coatings. These applications were all concentrated in cutting-edge, high-precision sectors. Although the volume of each individual application was small, the product value-added was extremely high. Moreover, with the technological iteration and development of high-end manufacturing and the military and aerospace industries, related demand had the potential for steady growth. IV. Summary of the Core Characteristics of the Osmium Metal Market Overall, as a rare category among platinum group metals, osmium had highly distinctive core characteristics: extreme scarcity on the resource side, highly monopolized supply with insufficient elasticity; application-side concentration in high-precision, cutting-edge fields, with rigid and irreplaceable demand; and unique physicochemical properties, combining both advantages and application barriers. Unlike the market-driven fluctuation logic of conventional bulk commodities, the osmium market was significantly affected by factors such as supply-side changes, downstream demand from high-end industries, and compliance costs. The overall market size was small, and trading frequency was relatively low, placing it in the category of niche rare precious metals. Its core value always revolved around the two key points of “scarcity” and “irreplaceability,” making it an indispensable key metal material in high-end industrial and scientific research fields.

Capacity-wise, according to incomplete statistics, the domestic alkaline electrolyzer market remains at 43.77GW, and the PEM electrolyzer market stays at 2.7GW, with no new capacity added. The "water electrolysis hydrogen production system - oxygen purification unit" produced by Skyreach Hydrogen Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. has been successfully delivered to a leading large-scale polysilicon producer in China. Updates on electrolyzer projects: Jinfeng Green Energy Chemical (Xing'an League) Co., Ltd.: The Yujinfeng Xing'an League green hydrogen to green methanol (Phase III) project has been filed, with the construction site located in Xing'an League Economic and Technological Development Zone, Ulanhot City, Xing'an League. Total investment: 2.3 billion yuan, including 460 million yuan of own funds and 1.84 billion yuan of bank loans applied for. The planned construction period is from May 2026 to May 2028. The project will mainly construct biomass gasification, methanol synthesis distillation, and other main production facilities along with supporting public auxiliary works, producing 725,000 tons of green methanol annually. Guohua Investment Guohua (Cangzhou) Integrated Energy Co., Ltd.: The Alashan Large Wind and Solar Base Electrolysis Water Hydrogen Production and Ammonia Synthesis System Integration and Engineering Demonstration Project Cangzhou Green Ammonia Phase II Electrolysis Water Hydrogen Production System Preliminary Design Service has issued a public tender. According to the announcement, the first phase of the Cangzhou green hydrogen and green ammonia electrolysis water hydrogen production and ammonia synthesis facility has already been constructed within the reserved area of the green ammonia plant. Shaanxi Hydrogen Luyuan Technology Co., Ltd.: The shortlisted candidates for the hydrogen power supply equipment and its auxiliary devices procurement (0021GBT rectifier power supply) of the Yulin Zero-Carbon Industrial Park Hydrogen (Hydrogen Production) Demonstration Project have been announced. According to the announcement, the first candidate is Beijing Leidong Zhi Chuang Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 1.3668 million yuan; the second candidate is Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 1.4661 million yuan; the third candidate is Shenzhen Hopewind Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 1.48 million yuan. North Engineering Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. : A quotation request has been issued for the process equipment of the hydrogen production unit of the electrolysis water hydrogen production device (including electrolyzers, gas-liquid separation skids, purification skids, centrifugal pumps, canned motor pumps, alkali mixing tanks, demineralized water tanks, and auxiliary facilities). Jiangxi Xinlianxin Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.: The annual 100kt green methanol demonstration project has passed the filing. It is understood that the total investment of the project is 100.96 million yuan, and the construction scale and content do not involve additional land use, partially relying on Jiangxi Xinlianxin Chemical Co., Ltd. Upon project completion, the facility is expected to achieve an annual production of 100kt of green methanol. Construction is scheduled to commence in April 2026 and conclude in April 2027. Jinda Hongjing (Shache) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The company issued postponement announcements for the full-process tracking audit service and project supervision service of the Jinda Hongjing Shache County Integrated PV Hydrogen Production Project. The revised bid opening date for both is March 10, 2026. The project involves the construction of a new 250kt/year green methanol production facility, including water electrolysis for hydrogen production, biomass gasification units, and methanol synthesis units, along with storage systems and supporting utilities and auxiliary facilities. The annual output is set at 250kt of green methanol, with by-products including 30kt/year of steam and 179.2 million standard cubic meters/year of oxygen. Ningxia Wangwa Coal Industry Co., Ltd.: The winning bid result was announced for the hydrogen production equipment procurement of the Guyuan Pengyang 2×660MW Unit Project. The winning bidders are Suzhou Xipeiyou Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (bid price: 2.062 million yuan), Wuxi Weifu High-Technology Group Co., Ltd. (bid price: 2.2 million yuan), and Shanghai Hydrogen Sharp Technology Co., Ltd. (bid price: 2.3736 million yuan). The tender was divided into one section, specifically for a 10Nm³/h proton exchange membrane hydrogen production unit. Xinjiang Huadian Weihuliang New Energy Co., Ltd.: The company announced the transaction results for the UPS and EPS of the alkaline water electrolysis hydrogen production system for the Xinjiang Huadian Urumqi Point-to-Point Hydrogen Refueling Station, as well as the results for the hydrogen production system distribution cabinet. The suppliers are Harbin Jiuzhou Group Co., Ltd. and Tengzhou Taiyuan Power Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd., respectively. Junrui Green Hydrogen Energy (Chahar Right Rear Banner) Co., Ltd.: A competitive consultation announcement was released for the full-process management of the Chahar Right Rear Banner 14,400 t/year Hydrogen Production Project. According to the announcement, the procurement budget for the full-process management is 1.69% (bidders must not quote a rate higher than 1.69%, or the bid will be deemed invalid). Policy Review 1. The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region Development and Reform Commission published the "Ningxia 2026 First Batch of Project List Recommended to Private Capital." One key project in the hydrogen energy sector is the Integrated Hydrogen Storage, Transportation, and Utilization Zero-Carbon Energy Demonstration Base, located in the Lingzhou Chemical Industry Park in Lingwu City. The project aims to establish a demonstration model covering the entire green hydrogen production chain, including wind and solar power generation, hydrogen production, storage, and transportation. It will be equipped with corresponding facilities, pipelines, and transport fleets to provide logistics services to surrounding chemical enterprises and offer a feasible solution for replacing gray hydrogen with green hydrogen in the Ningdong coal chemical industry. Additionally, the project plans to construct hydrogen refueling stations to support bus operations and distributed fuel cell power generation projects. The total investment in the project amounts to 2.8 billion yuan. 2. The Jilin Provincial Energy Bureau released the "Implementation Plan for the Development and Construction of Green Electricity Direct Connection Projects in Jilin Province (Trial)" (Draft for Comments). The document indicates that new load projects can carry out green electricity direct connections, with priority support for hydrogen-based green energy (green hydrogen, green hydrogen to green ammonia, green hydrogen to green methanol, green hydrogen to sustainable aviation fuel, etc.), steel metallurgy, computing (data) centers, automotive manufacturing, and other industries. Electricity consumption projects that have not been registered with grid enterprises (including expansion parts of existing loads), electricity consumption projects that have been registered but whose supporting grid projects have not yet started construction, and existing projects agreed upon through consultation with grid enterprises are all considered new loads. In principle, new loads (including expansion parts of existing loads) and existing loads should not have direct electrical connections. 3. The European Commission approved a 4 billion euro special fund for electrolyzers, providing a 30% subsidy on equipment costs for projects with an annual capacity of ≥500 MW, and setting a 2030 target for electrolyzer efficiency in green hydrogen projects at ≥60% (LHV basis). Corporate Developments Plug Power : Faces a securities class action lawsuit in the US District Court for the Northern District of New York, accused of making misleading disclosures to investors regarding the progress of a US Department of Energy (DOE) loan guarantee of $1.66 billion (approximately 12 billion yuan), exaggerating the likelihood of obtaining the loan and the project construction capabilities. In November 2025, Plug announced the suspension of the loan-related project, jeopardizing the loan and the plan for six hydrogen plants, leading to consecutive declines in its stock price. Transition Industries : Signed a long-term natural gas supply agreement with Mexico's CFEnergía, securing a daily supply of 160 million cubic feet of US gas for the Pacifico Mexinol ultra-low carbon methanol project in Mexico. This contract marks the final key commercial milestone for the project, which has a total investment of $3.3 billion and is expected to commence operation by the end of 2029 to early 2030, producing 2.15 million mt of ultra-low carbon methanol annually, making it the largest facility of its kind globally. Power2X : Dutch hydrogen-based synthetic fuel developer Power2X acquired green hydrogen enterprise HyCC, with the transaction valuation undisclosed. The acquisition adds five green hydrogen projects in the Netherlands and Germany, with a total developable scale of 1 GW, aiding the company in advancing its 250,000 mt per year green hydrogen-based SAF project in Rotterdam, marking its transition from project development to execution. Robert Bosch GmbH: Conducted workforce optimization in China, with the first round involving nearly 200 employees at the Wuxi plant's internal combustion engine and hydrogen fuel cell projects. This is an economic layoff, with the company offering N+4 compensation, exceeding the statutory standard. China Huadian Corporation Ltd. : Party Secretary and Chairman Jiang Yi held talks in Baotou with Chen Zhichang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regional Party Committee and Secretary of the Baotou Municipal Party Committee, and Meng Qingwei, Deputy Secretary of the Baotou Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, where both sides exchanged views on further deepening central-local cooperation. Hebei Province Baoding High-Tech Environment Technology Co., Ltd.: announced the winning bid result for the Baoding High-Tech Environment Technology Co., Ltd. Hydrogen-Powered Sanitation Vehicle Procurement Project. The winning bidder was Changsha Zoomlion Environment Industry Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 37.685 million yuan. Inner Mongolia Ebert Coal Technology Co., Ltd.: The hydrogen refueling, hydrogen swapping, charging and swapping integrated station at Plot 02-02C1 in the Airport Logistics Park was approved for construction by the Yijinhuoluo Banner Energy Bureau. The bid inviter is Inner Mongolia Ebert Coal Technology Co., Ltd., and the construction funds are self-raised. It is understood that this project is an integrated station for hydrogen refueling, hydrogen swapping, and charging. The hydrogen refueling station is classified as a Level III station with a hydrogen refueling capacity of 500 kg/d. The main facilities of the hydrogen refueling station include 1 unloading column, 2 units of 45 MPa hydrogen compressors, 1 unit of 90 MPa hydrogen compressor, 1 set of 45 MPa hydrogen storage cylinder bundle, 1 set of 90 MPa hydrogen storage cylinder bundle, 1 unit of HB5/H70 hydrogen refueling integrated machine, 3 units of compressor chiller units, 1 unit of hydrogen refueling machine chiller unit, 1 set of nitrogen cylinder bundle, 1 unit of nitrogen cabinet, 2 units of sequential control cabinets, 1 unit of heat exchanger, etc. The facilities for the hydrogen swapping and battery swapping station include 1 set of integrated hydrogen swapping and battery swapping skid, etc. Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) disclosed patent CN2025110028, developing a ceramic-based anion exchange membrane with a laboratory test lifespan reaching 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing a Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity close to platinum-based materials. Technology Footprints/Technical Specifications 1. The team of Liu Qingju from Yunnan University constructed a superwetting Pt/NF@CF graded heterojunction electrocatalyst for low-energy consumption and high-efficiency hydrogen production. 2. Teams from Hunan Normal University and Central South University (AM) revealed the effects of compressive strain and oxygen vacancies on iridium oxide in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. 3. Relevant research teams from the School of Electrical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Electrical Materials successfully developed a Ru/Ti3C2Ox@NF bifunctional seawater electrolysis electrocatalyst. 4. The group standard "Technical Specification for Wind-Solar-Storage Green Electricity Coupled Electrolysis Hydrogen Production" (Number T/CIEP 0272—2025) was released and implemented by the China Industrial Environmental Protection Promotion Association. Zhongneng Dayou Energy Technology Co., Ltd. successfully developed a 100 kW-level PEM electrolyzer hydrogen production multi-field coupling test equipment. 5. GKN Powder Metallurgy announced the development of a new generation of high-performance, high-porosity, high-purity porous transport layer (HP-PTL) for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis.

According to precious metals and refinery services provider Heraeus, the gold price continues to show a consolidation phase. Following record highs at the end of December, the market is currently moving sideways within a clearly defined trading range rather than forming a pronounced upward or downward trend.

Capacity side, the domestic alkaline electrolyzer market maintained at 43.77 GW, and the PEM electrolyzer market remained at 2.7 GW, with no new capacity added. No offline public delivery information was available this week. Electrolyzer project updates: Yulin Institute of Clean Energy Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences : The institute issued a tender for the procurement of megawatt-scale alkaline electrolyzers and hydrogen-oxygen separation and purification modules. The procurement includes megawatt-scale alkaline electrolyzers and hydrogen-oxygen separation and purification equipment, with a budget of 3.18 million yuan. The equipment will be used for a hydrogen production project from coal chemical wastewater coupled with freshwater production. It is understood that Dalian Chemical Engineering Design Institute Co., Ltd. previously won the bid for the project design. Inner Mongolia Green Hydrogen Steel Union Technology Co., Ltd.: The company announced the winning bidder for the civil engineering part of Sections 1 and 2 of the construction project for the full green steel production line integrating green electricity-green hydrogen shaft furnace reduction-electric furnace short process. It is understood that both sections were won by China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Fourth Engineering Co., Ltd. (including consortium partner: Tianjin Tianhengda Environmental Protection Engineering Co., Ltd.). Shanghai Reshaping Energy Group Co., Ltd. : Reshaping Energy and China MCC5 Group Corp., Ltd. recently formally partnered by signing a cooperation agreement, establishing a comprehensive partnership. Additionally, both parties jointly signed a cooperation memorandum for the Ningxia Sun Mountain Integrated Wind-Solar-Hydrogen-Methanol Project. Moving forward, the two parties will collaborate to promote the construction of hydrogen production projects using wind and solar renewable energy, and coordinate with relevant parties to advance the construction of green methanol synthesis projects, aiming to create a benchmark "green electricity-green hydrogen-green methanol" industry chain project in north-west China. SPIC : The list of prospective winning bidders for the 99th centralized tender in 2025 (Jilin Power Share Lishu Wind-Solar Green Hydrogen Production and Biomass Coupled Green Methanol Project PEM Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Equipment) was announced. The first prospective winning bidder: Changchun Green Dynamic Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 30.88 million yuan; the second prospective winning bidder: Shaanxi Xingran Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 36.4265 million yuan. It is understood that the Jilin Power Share Lishu Wind-Solar Green Hydrogen Production and Biomass Coupled Green Methanol Project is located in Siping City, Jilin Province, and plans to construct one set of 2000 Nm³/h PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production system, with a PEM hydrogen production scale of 2000 Nm³/h. The project is scheduled to start construction in August 2025, with a total planned duration of 22 months. The tender scope includes the PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production system and auxiliary systems, including but not limited to 4 PEM hydrogen production electrolyzers each with a measured hydrogen production rate of 500 Nm³/h under rated conditions, one set of 2000 Nm³/h hydrogen purification skid, and 4 sets of IGBT rectifiers. Windey Energy Technology Group Co., Ltd.: The tender for the biomass gasification process package and technical services for the first phase of the Handan Biomass Green Methanol Project was released. The project's main entity is Windey Energy Technology Group Co., Ltd. It is understood that the project primarily adopts the biomass pressurized bubbling fluidized bed gasification process. The scope of the process package extends from the atmospheric raw material receiving hopper of the gasification framework to the outlet of the syngas scrubber, includes the ash and slag discharge unit, and involves the discharge of wastewater after ammonia stripping treatment. Goldwind Green Chemical (Xing'an League) Co., Ltd.: The acceptance of the environmental impact assessment documents for the Goldwind Xing'an League Green Hydrogen to Green Methanol (Phase II) Project was announced. It is understood that the project has a total investment of 1.2 billion yuan, with a planned construction period from December 2025 to December 2027. The construction scale and content include primarily building main production facilities such as biomass gasification and methanol synthesis and distillation, along with supporting public and auxiliary utilities, aiming for an annual production of 600,000 mt of green methanol. Zhongneng Yida (Hebei) New Energy Co., Ltd.: The EPC general contracting tender announcement (second call) for the new 400,000 mt/year sustainable aviation fuel hydrogenation project. It is understood that the project covers an area of approximately 230 mu. The construction project includes a 400,000 mt/year sustainable aviation fuel hydrogenation unit, supporting hydrogen production facilities with a capacity of 30,000 Nm³/h, a sulfur recovery combined unit, and main supporting utilities. The primary raw materials are gutter oil, acidified oil, fatty acid methyl ester, and waste animal and vegetable oils, used to produce biodiesel, bio-naphtha, bio-jet fuel, and other products, with by-products including dry gas, bio-liquefied petroleum gas, and sulfur. The annual production volumes are bio-jet fuel (315,700 mt), bio-naphtha (21,000 mt), biodiesel (maximum daily production of 340,800 mt), and other by-products: dry gas (7,900 mt), bio-liquefied petroleum gas (19,500 mt), and sulfur (72 mt). Inner Mongolia Hydroelectric Technology Co., Ltd.: Its Dalad Banner Grid-Side (Incremental Distribution Network) Standalone Energy Storage Demonstration Project has completed the modification filing. The project construction content is now modified as follows: The total project investment is 153.332 million yuan, funded from two sources: self-owned funds of 45.9996 million yuan and a bank loan of 107.3324 million yuan. Regarding construction content and scale, the total energy storage capacity is set at 2 MW/4 MWh, adopting a pure hydrogen energy storage solution. Specifically, the hydrogen energy storage system encompasses three major segments: water electrolysis for hydrogen production, energy storage, and hydrogen fuel cell power generation. It is configured with 12 sets of 1,000 Nm³ alkaline electrolyzers, 2 sets of 1 MW hydrogen fuel cell power generation systems, and a 90,000 Nm³ hydrogen storage system. Each electrolyzer unit consists of the electrolyzer body, purification framework, gas-liquid separation device, and power supply and electrical control system. Each 1MW hydrogen fuel cell power generation system uses 16 proton exchange membrane fuel cell modules, each with a rated power of 100KW, as the core energy supply units. The hydrogen storage system comprises a spherical tank hydrogen storage system with a capacity of 2,000 cubic meters and a pressure of 1.6 MPa, requiring a total of three hydrogen storage tanks. Jinfeng Green Energy Chemical (Xing'an League) Co., Ltd. : Jinfeng Xing'an League Green Hydrogen to Green Methanol (Phase III) Project has been filed. Construction Location: Xing'an League - Ulanhot City - Xing'an League Economic and Technological Development Zone. Total Investment: 2.3 billion yuan, including self-owned funds: 460 million yuan, and bank loan application: 1.84 billion yuan. Planned Construction Period: May 2026 to May 2028. Construction Scale and Content: Mainly involves building key production facilities such as biomass gasification and methanol synthesis and distillation, along with supporting public and auxiliary facilities, with an annual output of 725,000 mt of green methanol. Shanghai Electric Power Station Group: Successfully won the bid for Section 1 of the EPC project for the Lanzhou New Area 100,000 mt/year Biomass Green Methanol Project (Phase I), and will provide key technologies, core equipment, and EPC turnkey services. Previously, Shanghai Electric had successfully verified its self-developed entire industry chain technology system for "green electricity coupled with biomass gasification to produce green methanol" in the Jilin Taonan Green Methanol Integrated Demonstration Project. Policy Review 1. The Gansu Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Gansu Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, and Gansu Provincial Energy Bureau issued the "Gansu Provincial Zero-Carbon Park Construction Plan." The document points out that organic integration of solar, wind, geothermal, and air energy should be used for direct building energy supply; relying on technologies such as wind and solar power plus energy storage and hydrogen microgrids, heat pumps, and molten salt thermal storage, the park's multi-energy conversion and mutual utilization of "electricity, heat, cooling, steam, and hydrogen" should be enhanced. Vigorously develop green and low-carbon emerging industries. Promote breakthroughs in core technologies for wind, solar, and energy storage equipment, improve the localization rate of new energy equipment, and build a new energy equipment industry chain driven by a "high proportion of green electricity." Support the construction of projects for the wind and solar power coupled green hydrogen production and hydrogen energy storage industry chain, advance the integrated development of "green hydrogen production, storage, transportation, refueling, and utilization," and create a "wind-solar-hydrogen-methanol-ammonia" zero-carbon industry chain. Guide the coordinated development of computing power projects and clean energy layout, increase the proportion of green electricity supply for data centers, and build a "computing power + green electricity" digital economy industry chain. 2. The Jilin Provincial Energy Bureau issued the "Jilin Province Green Electricity Direct Connection Project Development and Construction Implementation Plan (Trial)" (Draft for Comments).. The document indicates that new load projects can carry out green electricity direct connection, with key support for hydrogen-based green energy (green hydrogen, green hydrogen to green ammonia, green hydrogen to green methanol, green hydrogen to sustainable aviation fuel, etc.), steel metallurgy, computing (data) centers, automotive manufacturing, and other industries. Electricity consumption projects that have not been registered with the power grid enterprise (including expansion parts of existing loads), electricity consumption projects that have been registered but whose supporting power grid projects have not yet commenced construction, and existing projects agreed upon through consultation with the power grid enterprise are all considered as new loads. In principle, new loads (including expansion parts of existing loads) and existing loads should not establish direct electrical connections. 3. The European Commission approved a €4 billion special fund for electrolyzers, providing a 30% subsidy on equipment costs for projects with an annual capacity of ≥500 MW, and set a 2030 efficiency target for green hydrogen project electrolyzers of ≥60% (LHV basis). Enterprise Dynamics Shanghai Qingluan Energy Co., Ltd. : Shanghai Qingluan Energy Co., Ltd. was established, with legal representative Li Kun and registered capital of 5 million yuan. Its main business includes the manufacturing and sales of gas and liquid separation and purification equipment. The company is 100% owned by Shanghai Qingluan Technology Co., Ltd. Xinjiang Zhiling Hydrogen Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. : The launch ceremony for the delivery and experience event of hydrogen energy buses, jointly organized with Skywell New Energy Automobile Group Co., Ltd., was held at the Guangbao Guangzhou Technology Park in Huangpu District, Guangzhou. Following the successive winning of related projects in November and December last year, HTWO Guangzhou, in collaboration with Skywell Group, delivered 249 hydrogen fuel cell buses in bulk to Guangzhou Bus Group. Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy Industry Development Co., Ltd. : Signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the Baoji Municipal Government. The Baoji Municipal Government will take this signing as an opportunity to provide comprehensive support for project construction, fully promote project implementation and effectiveness, and ensure smooth project advancement with high-quality services. Zhongtian Hua Hydrogen Co., Ltd.: Successfully won a bid for an overseas hydrogen valley project, achieving a "zero breakthrough" in overseas business, marking substantial progress in its internationalization strategy. Hubei Intelli Electric Co., Ltd. : Successfully delivered several sets of large containerized power supply systems, all of which will be used for a shore power project. HydrogenT Energy Group: Its "Fuel Cell Engine (TK-300)" project successfully passed the certification for Shanghai High-Tech Achievement Transformation Project and received an A-grade evaluation. Weishi Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: In collaboration with Yutong Light Truck, completed a series of multi-dimensional, complex working condition vehicle-level verifications, comprehensively validating the reliability and environmental adaptability of Weishi Energy's 80 kW hydrogen fuel cell system under complex environments such as low temperature, high altitude, transient load, emergency stop, and steep slopes. The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas): Signed a memorandum of cooperation with Sinopec (Hong Kong) Limited (Sinopec Hong Kong) and Sinopec Star Petroleum Co., Ltd. (Sinopec Star), establishing a strategic partnership to engage in in-depth cooperation on clean energy, including hydrogen, green methanol, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) disclosed patent CN2025110028, developing ceramic-based anion exchange membranes with a laboratory test lifespan reaching 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing a Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity close to that of platinum-based materials. Technology Footprints/Technical Specifications 1. The team led by Liu Qingju at Yunnan University constructed a superwetting Pt/NF@CF graded heterojunction electrocatalyst for low-energy, high-efficiency hydrogen production. 2. Hunan Normal University and Central South University's AM team revealed the compressive strain and oxygen vacancy effects of iridium oxide in proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. 3. The relevant research team from the School of Electrical Engineering and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Electrical Engineering Materials at Xi’an Jiaotong University successfully developed a Ru/Ti3C2Ox@NF bifunctional seawater electrolysis electrocatalyst. 4. The group standard "Technical Specification for Wind and Solar Power Green Electricity Coupling Electrolysis Hydrogen Production" (No. T/CIEP 0272—2025) was released and implemented by the China Industrial Environmental Protection Promotion Association. Zhongneng Dayou Energy Technology Co., Ltd. successfully developed a 100kW-class PEM electrolyzer hydrogen production multi-field coupling test equipment. 5. GKN Powder Metallurgy announced the development of a new generation of high-performance, high-porosity, high-purity porous transport layers (HP-PTL) for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis.