Capacity side, according to incomplete statistics, China's alkaline electrolyzer market remained at 43.77 GW, the PEM electrolyzer market remained at 2.7 GW, with no new capacity additions for the time being. Sungrow Hydrogen's alkaline electrolyzer systems and proton exchange membrane electrolyzer systems were simultaneously delivered to Oman, Europe, and South America; Trina Green Hydrogen delivered multiple sets of second-generation Tianqing series 1,000 Nm³/h alkaline electrolyzers to green hydrogen-ammonia-methanol projects in China; Hande completed the delivery of one set of 1 Nm³ PEM hydrogen production system to a Chinese university. Project-related developments: Shandong Energy Group Inner Mongolia Branch: The winning bid candidates for the 2026 Shenglu Power Plant hydrogen production station electrolyzer project were publicly announced. The first winning bid candidate was Beijing Mingyang Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and Tianjin Dalu Hydrogen Production Equipment Co., Ltd. ranked second. CNMC Orient Tantalum Industry: For the 50 m³ electrolytic hydrogen production and purification system, the first winning bid candidate was Tianjin Dalu Hydrogen Production Equipment Co., Ltd. with a bid price of 1.68 million yuan. The second and third candidates were Shenzhen Wenshi Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and Beijing Zhongdian Fengye Technology Development Co., Ltd., with bid prices of 1.79 million yuan and 1.99 million yuan, respectively. Beijing Zhongdian Fengye Technology Development Co., Ltd.: Officially signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Haitai New Energy. The in-depth cooperation will focus on five key areas: first, integrated development of PV-to-hydrogen systems to create standardized solutions; second, advancing integrated wind-solar-storage-green hydrogen projects to build benchmark projects in regions of China rich in wind and solar resources; third, conducting technology R&D and process optimization to overcome key technologies and jointly develop new energy hydrogen production process packages; fourth, leveraging both parties' resources for marketing and sales to jointly expand China and non-China markets; fifth, jointly applying for scientific research and industrial support projects and participating in the formulation of industry standards. CNOOC (Shanxi) Precious Metals Co., Ltd., Jinzhong City: Its Shanxi Province's first MW-class proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis hydrogen production unit was successfully commissioned. Zaoyang Tongda Passenger Transport Co., Ltd.: Issued a tender announcement for the procurement of 20 hydrogen energy buses. The procurement covers 20 hydrogen energy buses with a maximum price limit of 21 million yuan. The project does not accept consortium bidding. Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Co., Ltd.: Announced the signing of an agreement with its affiliated company GF Hydrogen Africa Sarl to provide a 20 MW green hydrogen production system for Morocco, with a total consideration of approximately $6.2 million. China Coal Shaanxi Energy Chemical Group Co., Ltd.: Published the transaction result announcement for the feasibility study report compilation service for the China Coal Shaanxi Xi'an Kang green electricity-coupled biomass-to-green methanol integration project. The supplier is Hualou Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. Inner Mongolia Green Hydrogen Steel Union Technology Co., Ltd.: Its green electricity-green hydrogen shaft furnace reduction-electric furnace short-process all-green steel production line project released the winning bid announcement for the preliminary survey and mapping portion. The winning bidder was Tianjin Geological Engineering Survey and Design Institute Co., Ltd., with a winning bid amount of 3.0362 million yuan. It is reported that the tender for the civil construction portion of the project was completed in February. Inner Mongolia Huadian Huayang Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The winning bid result for the survey and design service for the wind-solar-storage portion of the Inner Mongolia Huadian Damao Banner 1 million kW wind-solar-to-hydrogen integration project was announced. Power supply engineering: total new energy installations of 1,000 MW, including 700 MW wind power and 300 MW PV, with supporting construction of one 100 MW/200 MWh LFP battery ESS power station, two 220 kV step-up substations, access roads, collector lines, and other equipment and facilities. Hydrogen production plant: construction of 88 units of 1,000 Nm³/h water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment and supporting facilities, with an annual hydrogen output of 547 million Nm³; supporting construction of one 220 kV hydrogen production main step-down substation and other facilities and equipment. The total project investment is 6.7645 billion yuan, with 30% self-owned capital. Ordos Hanxia New Energy Co., Ltd.: At the hydrogen production plant of the Narisong PV-to-hydrogen industrial demonstration project in Jungar Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region — the site of China's first 10 kt-class PV-to-hydrogen project — the first truckload of high-purity green hydrogen meeting the 99.999% national standard was successfully dispatched after completing the filling operation, marking the first shipment of 2026. Policy Review 1. The National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Standards for Determining Major Accident Hazards in the Electric Power Sector and Regulations on Governance, Supervision and Administration," Order No. 41 of 2026. The document states that under the major hazard determination standards, any of the following conditions occurring in the power grid or power equipment and facilities shall be determined as a major hazard, including: for DC ±800 kV and AC 1000 kV and above transformers (converter transformers), monitored acetylene content reaching 0.000005 liters per liter or weekly increment exceeding 0.000002 liters per liter, or hydrogen content exceeding 0.00045 liters per liter, or total hydrocarbon content exceeding 0.00045 liters per liter. 2. The Henan Provincial Development and Reform Commission issued a notice on the list of key construction projects in Henan Province for 2026. The document states that Henan Province has 1,418 provincial key projects for 2026 with a total investment of approximately 3.2 trillion yuan, aiming to complete annual investment of over 1 trillion yuan. 3. The General Office of the Gansu Provincial People's Government issued a notice on the implementation plan for accelerating scenario cultivation and opening up to promote large-scale application of new scenarios. The document states, in the clean energy sector, the plan is to promote the coordinated layout of "generation-grid-load-storage-production," accelerate the construction of industrial cluster scenarios for wind power, PV, concentrated solar power, hydrogen energy, energy storage equipment, and new energy battery industries. A number of green electricity direct-connection scenario projects are expected to be promoted, and new energy consumption models such as virtual power plants and smart microgrids are expected to be popularized. The plan is to accelerate the deployment of green electricity-to-hydrogen scenarios through multiple models including new energy direct supply, off-grid operation, and green electricity trading, expand the diversified application of green hydrogen in industry, transportation, energy storage, and power generation, and strive to build the Hexi "Green Hydrogen Corridor" innovation scenario. Enterprise Developments Shanghai Hydrogen Maple Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: Partnered with US-based Apollo Mechanical Contractors to secure a commercial order for low-temperature solid-state hydrogen storage technology from Klickitat Valley Health Hospital in Washington State, US. Its independently developed titanium-based solid-state hydrogen storage technology successfully entered the US application market. AiH2 Technology (Group) Co., Ltd.: Officially signed a cooperation agreement with Chongqing Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone. Both parties will leverage the by-product hydrogen resources of the Wansheng Economic and Technological Development Zone to build the largest kt-class magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen supply and storage base in south-west China. Huawang (Qingdao) Hydrogen Energy Technology Group Co., Ltd. : The groundbreaking ceremony for the hydrogen refueling station construction project at Qingdao Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park was officially held in Boli Town, West Coast New Area, Qingdao. Panzhihua Huacheng New Energy Co., Ltd. : The pre-acceptance work for the Madian hydrogen refueling station's liquid hydrogen and gaseous hydrogen expansion project was successfully completed. China Classification Society (CCS) Wuhan Branch : Officially issued a certificate of approval to CSSC 712 Research Institute, marking a key breakthrough in China's marine SOFC technology and entering a new stage of standardized and industrialised development. Yunnan Energy Investment Weixin Energy Co., Ltd.: Issued an inquiry letter for the procurement of hydrogen storage tanks for the turbine department, with a procurement quantity of 4 units. AECC Hunan Aviation Powerplant Research Institute: Its independently developed MW-class hydrogen-fueled aviation turboprop engine AEP100 successfully completed its maiden flight. The flight lasted 16 minutes and covered a distance of 36 kilometers. Shandong Hi-Speed Service Development Group Co., Ltd.: The winning bid candidates for the Phase II PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production and energy storage portion of the hydrogen highway and zero-carbon service area key technology integration and demonstration Gaomi Service Area hydrogen refueling station comprehensive utilization project were publicly announced. According to the announcement: the first winning bid candidate was Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Co., Ltd. with a bid price of 21.27 million yuan; the second winning bid candidate was Luyu Hydrogen Energy (Xiamen) Technology Co., Ltd. with a bid price of 21.95 million yuan; the third winning bid candidate was Jiangsu Huade Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. with a bid price of 21.75 million yuan. Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) published patent CN2025110028, developing a ceramic-based anion exchange membrane with a laboratory-tested lifespan of 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing an Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity approaching that of platinum-based materials. Technology Footprint / Technical Specifications 1. The team led by Professor Yu Ying at Central China Normal University developed a three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructured catalytic electrode, a core part for seawater hydrogen production. 2. Dalian University of Technology designed an electron pump catalyst with an asymmetric photo-responsive structure to maintain the asymmetry of electron distribution. 3. The research team from the School of Electrical Engineering and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment at Xi'an Jiaotong University successfully developed a Ru/Ti₃C₂Oₓ@NF bifunctional electrocatalyst for seawater electrolysis. 4. Johnson Matthey and Syensqo achieved efficient recovery and recycling of platinum group metals and ionomers from PEM fuel cells and electrolyzers, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. 5. Teams from Xi'an Jiaotong University and Peking University jointly developed a novel osmium-based catalyst, significantly improving AEM water electrolysis hydrogen production efficiency and economics, facilitating the scale-up of low-cost green hydrogen.

The 2026 SMM (21st) Lead & Zinc Conference and Industry Expo opened grandly at Howard Johnson Agile Plaza in Chengdu, Sichuan during March 25–27 2026. Organized by SMM, the event brought together global enterprises, professional experts and industry peers from across the entire lead and zinc supply chain. Participants focused on industry hot topics, analyzed market trends and explored development strategies, establishing a highly efficient platform for communication and collaboration to support high-quality growth of the sector. To further strengthen the overseas delegation’s comprehensive understanding of China’s lead and zinc industrial chain and build closer connections between international industry peers and key producers in China, SMM led a high-level overseas delegation on a multi-day industrial tour starting on the afternoon of March 27. The delegation included representatives from global giants, such as Nyrstar, a top European lead and zinc smelting firm, Nexa Resources, a South American giant in lead-zinc mining and smelting, and Befesa, a pioneer in zinc recycling. During the tour, the delegation visited 8 Chinese enterprises. including: COSCO Shipping Sichuan Chengtun Zinc & Germanium Technology Sichuan Kunshun Zinc Industry Yunnan Luoping Zinc & Electricity Hongzhou Hongqian Nonferrous Chemical Yunnan Zhenxing Industrial Group Mengzi Mining & Metallurgy Danxia Smelter of Shenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan Nonfemet The delegation members went deep into production sites, held in-depth discussions and exchanges, and gained a full picture of China’s lead and zinc industry in terms of production operations, technological innovation, capacity scale and market layout, greatly enhancing their insight into and understanding of the entire industrial chain. SMM has systematically compiled detailed information of all enterprises that were visited during this tour, with details below: COSCO Shipping On the afternoon of March 27, the delegation visited COSCO Shipping for an exchange, where they received a warm welcome from the company's leadership. Both sides engaged in discussions on topics such as equipment transportation and technological upgrades. Sichuan COSCO Shipping Logistics Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of COSCO Shipping Logistics Supply Chain Co., Ltd., registered and established in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, with an investment of 30 million yuan. COSCO Shipping Logistics Supply Chain Co., Ltd. is affiliated with China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited and serves as a core member of the "shipping, ports, and logistics" segment of COSCO Shipping Group, as well as an important component of its global digital supply chain system. The company operates warehouse space exceeding 6 million m², including 19 futures delivery warehouses. China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited is a globally leading shipping enterprise group, with a combined fleet capacity of 130 million DWT across 1,535 vessels, ranking first in the world. Sichuan COSCO Shipping Logistics Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. holds business qualifications and an operational scope covering multiple transportation modes including sea, land, air, and rail, providing comprehensive logistics services spanning both international and Chinese markets. Since entering the non-ferrous metals delivery warehouse business in 2016, the company has adhered to the principle of "client-centered and market-oriented," continuously enhancing its service capabilities and achieving steady business growth. Currently, at key logistics periods such as Shanghai Baoshan, Shanghai Yangshan, and Yixing in Jiangsu, the company successfully operates delivery warehouses designated by the Shanghai Futures Exchange for copper, nickel, zinc, and other products. It has become one of the three major non-ferrous metals warehouses of SHFE and was honored with the title of "Top Ten Designated Non-Ferrous Metals Delivery Warehouses" by the Shanghai Futures Exchange for two consecutive years. Sichuan Chengtun Zinc & Germanium Technology Co., Ltd. On March 28, the delegation visited Sichuan Chengtun Zinc & Germanium Technology Co., Ltd. (Shimian City). Both sides engaged in in-depth exchanges on the development of the zinc smelting industry, with a focus on thorough discussions regarding product processing, production techniques, capacity scale, market trends, and the current challenges facing the industry. Sichuan Chengtun Zinc & Germanium Technology Co., Ltd. was established on December 6, 2015, with a registered capital of 1.6 billion yuan. The company has an annual capacity of 300,000 mt of electrolytic zinc, 150,000 mt of sulphuric acid, 400,000 mt of electrolytic zinc waste residue processing, and 40 mt of high-purity germanium dioxide. On January 16, 2019, the company was approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission and merged into the publicly listed firm Chengtun Mining Group Co., Ltd. The company's main business includes smelting and R&D of zinc-germanium series products, as well as comprehensive recovery of multiple metals. It has formed a complete industry chain from zinc concentrates entering the plant to finished products leaving the plant. Its production lines include zinc calcine, electrolytic zinc, electrolytic zinc waste residue processing, and comprehensive recovery of rare and precious metals. Sichuan Kunshun Zinc Industry Co., Ltd. (Shimian City) On March 28, the delegation headed to Sichuan Kunshun Zinc Industry Co., Ltd. (Shimian City) for a visit and exchange, where they received a warm reception from the enterprise. Both parties held in-depth discussions and exchanges on zinc smelting, covering topics such as production costs, production and market landscape, raw material procurement and processing, industry chain competitive advantages, and distinctive process technologies. Sichuan Kunshun Zinc Industry Co., Ltd. is a specialized and green environmental protection enterprise jointly invested and established by Sichuan Metallurgical Holding Group Co., Ltd. and Shimian Dongshun Zinc Industry Co., Ltd. to implement the national green production philosophy, actively develop the circular economy, and promote the comprehensive utilization of solid waste resources. It integrates solid waste treatment, recycling, and resource regeneration. The company primarily uses high-tech methods to carry out clean utilization and harmless treatment of heavy metal-containing waste generated by industries such as metallurgy and chemicals, eliminating the environmental impact of heavy metal solid waste at the source. The company was established in 2021 and is located in Zhuma Industrial Park, Shimian County, Ya'an City, Sichuan Province, covering an area of 65 mu with a total investment of 180 million yuan. The company has built a 3.5m × 50m Waelz rotary kiln production line, equipped with advanced and well-established low-grade zinc oxide production technology, achieving a resource recovery utilization rate of over 95% and effectively managing waste gas, noise, solid waste, and groundwater risks. It is also equipped with supporting facilities including desulphurization, denitrification, and flue gas defogging towers, as well as a wastewater treatment station, raw material warehouse, raw material pre-washing workshop, water slag processing workshop, biomass semi-gasification furnace, zinc crystallized salt workshop, production safety and environmental protection center, and laboratory for detection and testing. The company holds qualifications for treating hazardous waste categories including HW12, HW17, HW23, HW48, and HW49, with an annual capacity to process 100,000 mt of zinc-containing waste. Its main products include low-grade zinc oxide and zinc crystallized salt. The company has always upheld the green and environmentally friendly development philosophy, adhering to the fundamentals of "being responsible for the environment, for clients, and for employees," guided by technological innovation, and targeting the "reduction, recycling, and detoxification" of solid waste pollution prevention and control. The company is committed to building a modern "solid waste" management and disposal service provider, actively carrying out emergency environmental protection disposal, proactively assuming social service functions, and making positive contributions to promoting the circular economy development in Sichuan and strengthening the ecological civilization construction of lucid waters and lush mountains! Yunnan Luoping Zinc & Electricity Co., Ltd. (Qujing City) On March 30, the delegation visited Yunnan Luoping Zinc & Electricity Co., Ltd. (Qujing City) for exchanges. During the meeting, both sides conducted in-depth discussions on key topics including magnesium removal process optimization, production management organization, and raw material substitution plans, and put forward constructive suggestions on improving the plant environment. Yunnan Luoping Zinc & Electricity Co., Ltd. was established to fully leverage Luoping's local hydropower and lead-zinc mineral resource advantages. In accordance with the "ore, electricity, and smelting integration" development strategy proposed by the Luoping County Party Committee and County Government, and the overall requirements of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government for the reform of industrial enterprises across the city, the company was registered and established at the Yunnan Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce on December 21, 2000. It was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange A-share market in 2007 and is a state-controlled enterprise under Luoping County. The company's assets are an optimized combination of three components: hydropower, lead-zinc mines, and zinc smelting. In terms of company assets, they are primarily composed of three advantageous resources of Luoping: mineral, hydropower, and zinc smelting. These mainly include six production units: Luoping County Fule Lead-Zinc Mine with an annual processing capacity of 100,000 mt of raw ore, Lazhuang Power Plant with annual power generation of 250 million kWh (installed capacity of 60,000 kW), a zinc smelter with an annual output of 120,000 mt of electrolytic zinc, a zinc powder plant with an annual output of 12,000 mt of ultra-fine zinc powder, a comprehensive utilization plant with an annual processing capacity of 129,500 mt of zinc slag, and a sulphuric acid plant with an annual output of 140,000 mt of sulphuric acid, achieving a total annual industrial output value exceeding 2 billion yuan. The company has six wholly-owned subsidiaries. The company's main businesses include hydropower generation, mining of lead, zinc, and other non-ferrous metals, as well as the production and sales of zinc smelting and its extended products. It is currently the only publicly listed firm in China's zinc smelting industry that integrates mining, power generation, chemical processing, and smelting. Its products include zinc sulphide concentrates, lead concentrates, zinc ingots, industrial sulphuric acid, ultra-fine zinc powder, cadmium, germanium concentrates, silver concentrates, copper concentrates, zinc alloys, industrial and residential electricity, edible oils and fats, among others. Its main product, "Jiulong" brand zinc ingots, is popular in non-ferrous product markets in and outside China thanks to its superior product quality and corporate reputation. Honghe Prefecture Hongqian Non-ferrous Chemical Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. On March 31, the delegation visited Honghe Prefecture Hongqian Non-ferrous Chemical Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. for exchanges. The two sides held in-depth discussions on topics including the economic benefits of smelting by-products, energy utilization efficiency, the current status of enterprise development, and future cooperation intentions. Honghe Prefecture Hongqian Non-ferrous Chemical Joint-Stock Co., Ltd. was established on August 1, 2007, with a registered capital of 50 million yuan. The total investment in project construction was 475.5543 million yuan. The company currently has over 600 employees and covers an area of 443 mu. The plant is located in the Heishenmiaobo Industrial Zone, situated in the central area of the Gejiu-Kaiyuan-Mengzi urban cluster. The company is a new-type joint-stock enterprise centered on crude lead smelting, integrating sulphur dioxide acid production, waste heat power generation, lead electrolysis, and recovery of precious and rare metals such as gold, silver, antimony, and bismuth, with further extension into deep processing of lead-series products including red lead, massicot, electrode plates, and storage batteries. It is a benchmark enterprise among private lead smelters in the city, featuring a relatively large scale, advanced technology, compliance with environmental protection standards, comprehensive utilization of resources, and a complete industry chain. The company pioneered the application of new technologies to upgrade and transform the traditional crude lead smelting model among private enterprises in the city. The company has formulated the working philosophy of "prioritizing environmental protection, ensuring safety, attracting talent, enforcing strict management, and enhancing efficiency," and continues to drive high-quality development. In April 2007, the company commissioned China ENFI Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. to conduct a feasibility study on the lead smelting technological transformation project, and determined a comprehensive industrial facility technological transformation project with a total investment of 490 million yuan and an annual capacity of 60,000 mt of crude lead. On December 21, 2009, the "Demonstration Project of Oxygen-Enriched Bottom-Blowing Lead Smelting Technology with Annual Output of 60,000 mt of Crude Lead" was designated by the Provincial Department of Science and Technology as a 2009 Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Innovation Project. In 2010, it was further designated as a key industrial project by the provincial, prefectural, and municipal governments. On November 14, 2011, the company obtained ISO9001:2008 quality management system certification. On March 7, 2012, "HSPb99.94PCT" was successfully registered on the London Metal Exchange. In 2019, the company successively passed the safety completion acceptance and environmental impact assessment completion acceptance, fully achieving compliant operations and sustainable development. Yunnan Zhenxing Industrial Group Co., Ltd. On March 31, the delegation headed to Yunnan Zhenxing Industrial Group Co., Ltd. for a visit and exchange. Both parties conducted in-depth discussions on topics including Yunnan Province's mineral resource endowment, smelting industry development trends, corporate business strategies, and technological innovation applications, jointly assessing the current status and prospects of the industry and analyzing the challenges and opportunities ahead. Yunnan Zhenxing Industrial Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "the Group") was founded in 1996 and is located in the Chongposhao New Materials Industrial Park, Shadian Sub-district Office, Gejiu City. The Group currently has 7 subsidiaries, 2 holding companies, and 1 equity-participation company, with approximately 3,000 employees. Its capacity reaches annual output of crude lead (100,000 mt), electrolytic lead (60,000 mt), zinc ingot (20,000 mt), lead-acid battery plates (9 million sets), lead-acid batteries (6 million units), superphosphate (350,000 mt), sulphuric acid (200,000 mt), and monoammonium phosphate (MAP) (60,000 mt). The Group has established five major production sites and five major product brands covering crude lead raw material, lead-zinc smelting, power supply manufacturing, fertilizer and chemical production, and resource recovery. It has formed an internal industrial cycle spanning lead ore mining—lead-zinc smelting—lead-based alloy melting—battery manufacturing—waste battery recycling—precious metals production, making it one of the few private non-ferrous enterprises in China with a complete lead industry chain. Since 2013, the Group has been consecutively recognized as one of the Top 100 Non-Public Enterprises in Yunnan Province. In 2025, it ranked 41st among the "Top 100 Non-Public Enterprises in Yunnan Province" and was selected for the first time into the "Top 20 Private Enterprises in Innovation Capability," ranking 7th. Yunnan Shadian Lead Industry Co., Ltd., a subsidiary controlled by the Group, ranked 71st. The Group has received nearly 100 honors at various levels, including "High-tech Enterprise," "Outstanding Private Technology Enterprise," "Enterprise with Harmonious Labor Relations," "Provincial Model Collective for Ethnic Unity and Progress," and "Key Enterprise for Industrial Development in Honghe Prefecture" in Yunnan Province. The Group's Yunsha brand lead ingot was successfully registered on the London Metal Exchange in 2007 and on the Shanghai Futures Exchange in 2020. In 2021, the Group was rated AAA in enterprise credit rating in the national non-ferrous metals industry. In August 2024, it was designated as a "Qiangyuan Zhuqi" Industry-Finance Service Base by the Shanghai Futures Exchange. Looking ahead, the Group will pursue the philosophy of "seeking survival, pursuing development, and accelerating enterprise transformation and upgrading," adhering to the working approach of "rooting in Honghe, basing in Yunnan, radiating to surrounding regions, and expanding across China." It will thoroughly implement strategies of enterprise management transformation, technology-driven development, talent empowerment, and sustainable development, striving to achieve significant increases in capacity and production of major products by 2035, with gross industrial output value up YoY, and to build itself into a 10 billion green lead-zinc comprehensive recycling technology enterprise. Mengzi Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd. On March 31, SMM and the field trip delegation headed to Mengzi Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd. for a visit and exchange. Both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on the entire zinc smelting process, covering topics including production technology, raw material supply, product sales, environmental protection governance, and future development plans, aiming to share experience, address industry pain points, and jointly clarify the direction of development. Mengzi Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd. was established in 1996. It is a resource-based mining and metallurgy enterprise integrating R&D, exploration, mining, mineral processing, smelting, and trading, with a focus on comprehensive utilization of resources. The company is one of the few comprehensive private enterprises in the non-ferrous metal industry that possesses an entire industry chain and operates independent trading and supply chain business platforms. It is among the top 100 enterprises in Yunnan Province and a key enterprise in Honghe Prefecture. Shenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan Nonfemet Co., Ltd. — Danxia Smelter On April 2, the SMM delegation visited Zhongjin Lingnan's Danxia Smelter for a survey and field trip to the core plant area. In-depth discussions were held on production operations, technological R&D, and raw material procurement, covering key topics such as production capacity, technical cooperation, and raw material procurement strategies. Shenzhen Zhongjin Lingnan Nonfemet Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Zhongjin Lingnan") was established in September 1984 and listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in January 1997 (stock code: 000060). It is an internationalized entire industry chain resource company primarily engaged in lead, zinc, and copper mining, mineral processing, and smelting, as well as comprehensive recovery of rare, scattered, and precious metals. It is a publicly listed firm controlled by Guangsheng Holdings Group, a key wholly state-owned enterprise under Guangdong Province. Zhongjin Lingnan's business covers segments including mines, smelting, new materials, and supply chains. It has 23 directly affiliated enterprises, wholly-owned and controlled subsidiaries. Major operating entities include Fankou Lead-Zinc Mine, Shaoguan Smelter, Danxia Smelter, Zhongjin Copper Co., Guangxi Mining Co., Perilya Limited in Australia, Zhongjin Technology Co., and Huajiari Co. The company has an annual output of 300,000 mt of lead and zinc metal content in concentrates, 450,000 mt of smelted lead and zinc products, 450,000 mt of copper cathode, 21,000 mt of aluminum extrusion, 20,000 mt of battery zinc powder, and 5,400 mt of composite metal materials. Among these, its battery zinc powder ranked first in Chinese market share, nickel-metal hydride and nickel-cadmium battery electrode sheets & plates materials ranked first in Chinese market share, and thermal bimetal ranked first in Chinese market share. The 2026 field trip brought together some global lead and zinc industry leaders for an inspiring and highly productive journey across China’s leading smelters and enterprises. The warm welcome, operational excellence, and innovative technologies on display made this event a resounding success — and we extend our deepest gratitude to all the companies and participants who made it happen. Looking ahead – Save the date for 2027: We are excited to announce that the 2027 SMM (22nd) Lead & Zinc Conference and Industry EXPO will take place from March 17–19, 2027 in Kunming, Yunnan, China . This premier event will once again bring together the global lead-zinc community for high-level networking, insight sharing, and industrial exploration. Interactive call – We want to hear from you: As we plan the field trip for the 2027 conference, we’d love your input. Which smelters or companies would you most like to visit for technical exchange and on-site learning? Please share your suggestions in the comments below — your feedback will help shape the 2027 experience. Let us know where the industry should go next!

Capacity side, according to incomplete statistics, China’s alkaline electrolyser market remained at 43.77 GW and the PEM electrolyser market remained at 2.7 GW, with no new capacity added. There was no offline delivery information this week. Project-related updates: PetroChina Shenzhen New Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd.: It issued a processing tender for its brine hydrogen production electrolyser. Funding for the tender project was self-raised by the enterprise, with a contribution ratio of 100%. It is understood that procurement of necessary raw materials and components included, but was not limited to, integrated electrolyser materials such as electrodes, end plates, bipolar plates, separators, and gaskets. Suppliers were also required to provide essential auxiliary accessories for the electrolyser, including cooling towers, chillers, and potassium hydroxide, in accordance with the purchaser’s requirements. Guangxi University of Science and Technology: It procured a hydrogen-fuel low-speed hybrid autonomous vehicle experimental system from Hefei Zhongke Shengu Technology Development Co., Ltd., with a transaction price of 844,800 yuan. Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences: It issued a procurement notice for a 500 W hydrogen fuel cell testing platform. It is understood that the testing platform will be used for performance, efficiency, and durability testing of 500 W-class hydrogen fuel cell stacks and single cells. CGN New Energy Holdings Co., Ltd.: The Jilin Hydrogen Future Energy Factory Integrated Energy Project issued a procurement notice for an energy-saving assessment report. It is understood that the project had successively completed procurement for reports including water resources assessment, feasibility study, land-use pre-examination, hydrogen pipeline design, and power market analysis. Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy Industry Development Co., Ltd.: It released a public notice on the social stability risk assessment survey for Phase I of the 30 GW new energy green hydrogen production and hydrogen pipeline project (Inner Mongolia section). According to the notice, the project is located in Tuke Town, Uxin Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is understood that the hydrogen pipeline route is 19.6 km long, with a design pressure of 6.3 MPa, and uses L290QH steel pipe material (seamless steel pipe). Total project investment is about 449.38 million yuan. Allocated by route length (with the Uxin Banner section accounting for 53.4%), the estimated investment within the area is about 239.97 million yuan. The project construction period is 2026–2028. PetroChina Shenzhen New Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd. : Its hydrogen energy R&D department plans to custom-process one set of MW-class brine hydrogen production electrolyser equipment, with hydrogen production capacity of no less than 200 Nm³/h. Tender scope: procurement of one set of brine hydrogen production electrolyser equipment. Shanghai Electric Group Company Limited: It officially signed the Phase I project of the Inner Mongolia Baofeng coal-based new materials wind and solar power hydrogen production project. According to the agreement, Shanghai Electric will provide eight 1,250 Nm³/h alkaline electrolysers, the world’s largest single-set 5,000 Nm³/h separation and purification system, and an industry-first outdoor three-dimensional layout solution. Suqian Green Energy Hydrogen Innovation Technology Co., Ltd.: During the 5th China International Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell Industry Exhibition, Suqian Green Energy Hydrogen Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. and China Power Engineering Consulting Group Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., Ltd. held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony at the China National Convention Center in Beijing for a domestic MW-class AEM electrolyser testing project. Shenneng Northern Energy Holdings Co., Ltd.: It issued procurement for the preparation of a feasibility study report for the Etuoke Banner wind power hydrogen production integration green application project (Phase II), covering hydrogen production by water electrolysis and SAF synthesis. It is understood that the Etuoke Banner 505 MW wind and solar power hydrogen production integration green ammonia synthesis project (Phase I) was successfully selected in October 2025 as one of the first batch of hydrogen energy pilot projects in China’s energy sector, and is planned to be fully completed and put into operation in August 2026. Policy Review​ 1. Notice of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other departments on issuing the Implementation Plan for the High-Quality Development of Energy-Saving Equipment (2026–2028). The document stated that by 2028, mass-produced water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment should achieve DC power consumption of less than 4.2 kWh/Nm³ under rated operating conditions. 2. Notice of the General Office of the National Energy Administration on issuing the Guidelines for the Establishment of 2026 Energy Industry Standard Plans. The key areas for the 2026 energy industry standard plan include eight items. In the hydrogen energy field, key directions include fundamentals and general applications, hydrogen production and conversion, hydrogen storage and transportation, hydrogen refuelling, hydrogen power and power generation, and hydrogen equipment. 3. Ministry of Commerce Announcement No. 18 of 2026: announcement of the launch of a trade barrier investigation into US practices and measures that hinder trade in green products. Preliminary evidence and information obtained by the Ministry of Commerce showed that the US had implemented multiple practices and measures in trade-related areas that hinder trade in green products, including but not limited to restricting exports of green products to the US, slowing new energy deployment, and restricting technology cooperation related to green products. Enterprise Updates​​ Xieqing (Shanghai) New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: Its hydrogen-powered drone H100 was officially put into use for material transport by China Post in Suibin County/Bayan County, Heilongjiang, entering the stage of regularised operations. Henan Junheng Industrial Group Biotechnology Co., Ltd. : Five reactors for its 1 million mt/year waste oil and fat processing sustainable aviation fuel project were successfully hoisted into place. Hubei Yingteli Electric Co., Ltd.: The two sets of thousand-cubic-metre-class IGBT hydrogen production power supplies it provided were successfully applied in South Korea’s first off-grid green hydrogen production project. Ordos Hanxia New Energy Co., Ltd. : At the hydrogen production plant of the Narisong PV hydrogen production industry demonstration project in Jungar Banner, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the first truckload of 99.999% national-standard high-purity green hydrogen in 2026 was successfully dispatched after filling operations were completed. Hydshine Energy (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.: It announced the completion of its Pre-B round of financing. This round was exclusively strategically invested by the Shenzhen Energy Storage Fund. It is understood that the funds will be mainly used for global market expansion, next-generation product R&D, and industrialisation capabilities. Shanghai Hydrogen Energy Group Co., Ltd.: It was successfully recognised as a “Shanghai Specialised, Sophisticated, Distinctive and Innovative SME” in the first batch list of Shanghai specialised and sophisticated small and medium-sized enterprises. Tianneng Battery Group Co., Ltd. : During the Tianneng 2026 Spring New Product Launch held in Tianjin, Tianneng signed strategic cooperation agreements with multiple partners on hydrogen fuel cells and solid-state batteries. In hydrogen energy, Tianneng joined hands with Guangdong Vision Holding Group and Tianjin Weida Space Technology to deepen the deployment of hydrogen-powered shared bicycle scenarios and promote the rollout of this model in more cities. ​​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-tested lifespan of 80,000 hours. ​​2. Johnson Matthey​​ (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing an Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity close to platinum-based materials. Technology Footprint/Technical Specifications​​ 1. Professor Yu Ying’s team at Central China Normal University developed a three-dimensional graded nanostructured catalytic electrode, a core part for seawater hydrogen production. 2. Dalian University of Technology designed an electron-pump catalyst with an asymmetric photoresponse structure to maintain asymmetry in electron distribution. 3.​​Research teams from the School of Electrical Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Materials and Electrical Insulation successfully developed a Ru/Ti3C2Ox@NF bifunctional electrocatalyst for seawater electrolysis. 4. Johnson Matthey and Syensqo achieved efficient recycling and reuse of platinum group metals and ionomers in PEM fuel cells and electrolysers, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. 5. Teams from Xi’an Jiaotong University and Peking University jointly developed a new-type osmium-based catalyst, significantly improving the efficiency and economics of AEM water electrolysis hydrogen production and supporting the scale-up of low-cost green hydrogen.

K2 Gold has successfully completed its 2026 reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Si2 Gold Project in Nevada, USA. The campaign comprised eight drill holes totaling 3,871 meters across five target areas, including inaugural exploration at three new zones. Drilling encountered extensive epithermal alteration and quartz veining, validating a geological model targeting the deeper "boiling zone" where higher-grade gold and silver deposits may exist. Assay results from the sampled materials are currently pending laboratory analysis.

►New Advances in Magnesium Materials and Processes ►Development and Application of New-Type Low-Cost, High-Strength, Corrosion-Resistant Magnesium Alloys ►Stainless Magnesium Technology: R&D Progress from Alloy Materials to Semi-Solid Processes, R&D and Application of Stainless Magnesium Alloys ►Hefei • Great “Magnesium” Chaohu — Building a First-Class Magnesium Industry Ecosystem in China ►R&D Progress and Current Industrialisation Status of Magnesium-Based Materials and Products at Baowu Magnesium ►Haitian Magnesium Alloy Injection Molding Technology and Market Outlook ►Magnesium from an International Perspective: The Transformation from a Cost-Driven Bulk Commodity to a Strategic Engineering Material ►: Focusing on the New Cycle of Supply and Demand for Magnesium Metal and Downstream Applications — Outlook for the Magnesium Market in 2026

Recently, CATL's battery pack laboratory officially received prestigious certification from the Volkswagen Group, becoming the first power battery company in the world to obtain Volkswagen's full-chain laboratory qualification recognition for cells, modules, and battery packs. At the certification ceremony, Dr. Uwe Westerhoff, Head of Certification at Volkswagen Group's Battery Testing Center, and Dr. Su Yuzhuan, Head of CATL's Testing and Validation Center, attended the event together with their core teams.

Capacity side, according to incomplete statistics, China’s alkaline electrolyzer market remained at 43.77 GW and the PEM electrolyzer market remained at 2.7 GW, with no new capacity added. There was no offline delivery information this week. Project-related updates: Binyang County Haoyuan Industrial Investment Co., Ltd.: Competitive consultation was launched for the Binyang County Green Electricity Hydrogen Production Pilot Construction Project (procurement of hydrogen production equipment and facilities). The budget amount was 2.85 million yuan, with a maximum price limit of 2.85 million yuan. The project entity was Binyang County Haoyuan Industrial Investment Co., Ltd. It is understood that the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Binyang County Kunpeng Water Affairs Co., Ltd. Kunpeng Water Affairs has registered capital of 448.6 million yuan, and its ultimate controller is the Binyang County Finance Center. Datang Inner Mongolia Duolun Coal Chemical Co., Ltd.: Inquiry-based procurement was conducted for the feasibility study and green methanol certification consulting technical services for the CNCEC Duolun coal chemical coal-based process biomass co-firing coupled with green electricity green methanol production project. It is understood that the Datang Duolun 150,000-kW integrated wind and solar power hydrogen production demonstration project was China’s first medium-to-large-scale technological demonstration project for off-grid wind and solar power hydrogen production deeply coupled with coal chemicals. It was invested in and constructed by Datang Duolun Ruiyuan New Energy Co., Ltd., with a total investment of about 1.3 billion yuan. Construction officially began in November 2023, construction officially began in November 2023, hydrogen was successfully produced on December 29, 2024, and the project was officially connected to the grid and put into operation on January 17, 2025. Shaanxi Construction Engineering Installation Group Co., Ltd.: The Guyang-Baiyun Obo gas transmission pipeline project, undertaken by Shaanxi Installation Group, achieved important progress, with its Guyang initial station and valve chamber successfully passing completion acceptance. It is reported that the gas transmission pipeline project has a 20% hydrogen blending transmission capacity and is a key planned construction project under the “County-to-County Coverage in Western Inner Mongolia” initiative in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s 14th Five-Year Plan for Oil and Gas Development. The pipeline has a total length of 125 km, starting from the Guyang initial station and running overall from south to north, successively passing through Guyang County, Darhan Muminggan Banner, and the Baiyun Obo mining district in Baotou City, and ultimately reaching Barun Industrial Park. PetroChina Shenzhen New Energy Research Institute Co., Ltd.: It released a processing tender for its brine hydrogen production electrolyzer. Funding for the tender project was self-raised by the enterprise, with a contribution ratio of 100%. It is understood that procurement of necessary raw materials and components includes, but is not limited to, integrated electrolyzer materials such as electrodes, end plates, bipolar plates, separators, and gaskets. Suppliers were also required to provide essential auxiliary electrolyzer accessories such as cooling towers, chillers, and potassium hydroxide in accordance with the purchaser’s requirements. Tianjin Saihong Environmental Engineering Co., Ltd.: A groundbreaking and pile foundation commencement ceremony was held in the Dagang Petrochemical Industrial Park of Tianjin Binhai New Area. It is understood that the project uses the polyploid giant reed “Lüzhou No. 1,” carefully cultivated by Ruihengmao Group, as its core raw material, successfully overcoming the bottlenecks of existing gasification technologies and the economic challenges of biomass raw materials. Tangshan Haitai New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: recently entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Beijing Shougang Gas Co., Ltd. During the meeting, Haitai New Energy gave a detailed presentation on the planning layout and current progress of its long-distance hydrogen pipeline project. The two sides then conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges on the development direction of the hydrogen energy industry and successfully signed a strategic cooperation agreement. In view of Shougang Gas’s continuously rising future demand for hydrogen, Haitai New Energy will leverage its comprehensive advantages in hydrogen transportation to provide Shougang Gas with stable and reliable green hydrogen supply services and comprehensive integrated solutions. Shanghai Juna New Material Technology Co., Ltd.: its water electrolysis hydrogen production electrode company, Juna Technology, completed a new round of financing, exclusively invested by CATL, which has become the company’s largest external institutional shareholder at present. Previously, Juna Technology had completed its first round of financing led by Lenovo Star and its second round led by Changjiang Innovation. This round of financing also marked the company’s first introduction of industrial capital. To date, the company has accumulated 8 external institutional shareholders. Shanghai Juna New Material Technology Co., Ltd.: formally signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Zhejiang Sunshine Green Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. This cooperation mainly focuses on the industrialisation and deployment of megawatt-class AEM electrolyzers. Leveraging its advanced JE series high performance AEM hydrogen production electrodes, Juna Technology will provide core component support for Sunshine Green Hydrogen in the R&D, testing, and scaled mass production of megawatt-class electrolyzers. Xinjiang Qingda Energy Technology Co., Ltd. : the environmental impact report for its integrated production line project with annual output of 120,000 mt of green hydrogen and 700,000 mt of green ammonia is planned for submission for approval and public disclosure. According to the disclosure, the project is a new-build project located in the western zone of Wusu Industrial Park and invested in and constructed by Xinjiang Qingda Energy Technology Co., Ltd., with a total investment of 4.1914 billion yuan. The project includes extensive construction content, specifically: six water electrolysis hydrogen production unit lines, each with annual output of 20,000 mt, to achieve annual output of 120,000 mt of green hydrogen; meanwhile, one ammonia synthesis unit line with annual output of 700,000 mt to produce 700,000 mt of green ammonia; in addition, one nitrogen production unit line with annual output of 560,000 KNm³ is also planned. In terms of auxiliary facilities, the project will build 6 electrolyzer workshops, 1 office building, 1 circulating water station, 1 central control room, 1 liquid ammonia tank farm, 1 hydrogen tank farm, 1 demineralised water station, and other supporting facilities, with total gross floor area of 127,083.72 m² and total site area of 330,883 m². The construction period is expected to be 12 months. In the water electrolysis hydrogen production segment, the project adopts the alkaline electrolyzer (ALK) hydrogen production process, equipped with 86 2,000-Nm³ electrolyzers, as well as 2 purification units and 2 gas-liquid treatment units, and is expected to produce 120,000 mt of hydrogen annually, mainly as raw material for ammonia synthesis. For the ammonia synthesis unit, the project will build one new unit adopting Casale axial-radial technology, with major equipment including ammonia compressors and synthesis towers, and is expected to produce 700,000 mt of liquid ammonia annually. CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Research Institute Co., Ltd.: CRRC Zhuzhou Institute successfully won the bid for 8 water electrolysis hydrogen production systems for Phase I of Kaishan Group’s Kenya green fertilizer project. It is understood that this is the first export of CRRC electrolyzer products to Africa and also the world’s first project to produce green hydrogen/ammonia using geothermal new energy. The Kaishan fertilizer project uses geothermal steam from a Kenyan energy company to generate clean electricity, and then uses this clean electricity to produce hydrogen and green ammonia, ultimately producing more than 480,000 mt of green fertilizer. The hydrogen production section of the project uses a total of 90 sets of 1,000 Nm³/h. Xinqing Energy Technology (Fukang) Co., Ltd.: the EPC general contracting tender for the Xinqing Energy photovoltaic hydrogen production coupled resource clean utilisation low-carbon integrated project (chemical section) was recently released. It is reported that the project is located about 28 km east of Fukang City, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, about 72 km west of Jimusar County, about 7 km north of Ganhezi Town, and adjacent to the east side of Xinjiang Jinxiang Sairui Coal Chemical Technology Co., Ltd. The project plans to build a new 383.3 MW PV power generation system to achieve hydrogen production capacity of 20,000 mt per year, together with a supporting ammonia synthesis system with annual output of 130,000 mt. In addition, one 220 kV step-down substation will also be built. Inner Mongolia Baofeng Coal-Based New Materials Co., Ltd.: Power Station Group has formally signed a cooperation agreement with Inner Mongolia Feng Coal-Based New Materials Co., Ltd. Power Station Group will supply key equipment for the Phase I water electrolysis hydrogen production project of the other party’s wind and solar power hydrogen production project, specifically including 8 alkaline electrolyzers of 1,250 Nm³/h and the world’s largest single-set 5,000 Nm³/h separation and purification system. In addition, Power Station Group will also provide the industry’s first outdoor three-dimensional layout design supporting services. Policy Review 1. Notice of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and Three Other Departments on Issuing the Implementation Plan for the High-Quality Development of Energy-Saving Equipment (2026-2028). The document states that by 2028, mass-produced water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment will achieve DC power consumption below 4.2 kWh/Nm³ under rated operating conditions. 2. Notice of the General Office of the National Energy Administration on Issuing the Guidelines for Project Approval of the 2026 Energy Industry Standards Plan. The key areas for project approval under the 2026 energy industry standards plan include 8 items. In the hydrogen energy field, the key directions include fundamentals and general applications, hydrogen production and conversion, hydrogen storage and transportation, hydrogen refueling, hydrogen power and generation, and hydrogen equipment. 3. Notice of the People’s Government of Heilongjiang Province on Issuing the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of Heilongjiang Province. The document states that Heilongjiang will step up development of the bioenergy industry, foster green liquid fuel industries such as green hydrogen-to-ammonia, green methanol, and green aviation fuel, strive to achieve annual production capacity of 1 million mt of green hydrogen and 3 million mt of green liquid fuels, and accelerate the scaled and commercial development of bio-natural gas. Corporate Developments CIMC Enric Holdings Limited: Yang Baoying, honorary president of its hydrogen business center, and his delegation recently visited Pengfei Group. During the exchange, the two sides held discussions on promoting the implementation of the “hydrogen cylinder replacement” operating model for hydrogen heavy-duty trucks in Lvliang and ultimately reached consensus. This move has injected strong momentum into the commercialisation and scaled promotion of hydrogen heavy-duty trucks, pressing the “fast-forward button.” Yuchai Xinlan (Jiangsu) Hydrogen Energy Co., Ltd. : formally entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Henan Hitachi Xin Co., Ltd. The two sides will carry out in-depth cooperation around key links in the hydrogen energy industry chain and jointly advance hydrogen technology innovation, product R&D, and market applications. Shaanxi Construction Engineering Installation Group Co., Ltd.: the Guyang first station and valve chamber of the Guyang-Baiyun Obo gas pipeline project, which it constructed, successfully passed completion acceptance. This milestone means that the innovative infrastructure project, equipped with 20% hydrogen blending transmission capability, is on the verge of official operation. It is understood that the Guyang-Baiyun Obo gas pipeline project not only has 20% hydrogen blending transmission capacity, but is also a key planned construction project under the “county-to-county connectivity in western Inner Mongolia” initiative in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s 14th Five-Year Plan for oil and gas development. The pipeline has a total length of 125 km, starting from the Guyang first station and generally running from south to north, passing through Guyang County, Darhan Muminggan Banner, and Baiyun Obo mining district in Baotou City before finally reaching Barun Industrial Park. Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Co., Ltd. : a delegation from Thailand’s water resources, electricity, and related institutions came to China for exchanges on the new energy industry and made a special trip to Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, to visit the rooftop PV hydrogen production project jointly developed by ZNShine Solar and Guofu Hydrogen Energy. It is understood that the project relies on a distributed PV system installed on factory rooftops to provide clean and stable electricity for the enterprise’s production and energy applications through PV power generation, balancing efficient energy utilisation and green development. At the same time, it integrates hydrogen application scenarios and is equipped with an ESS to ensure stable energy supply for hydrogen production. It is a leading distributed PV hydrogen production demonstration project in China, showcasing China’s advanced achievements in the integrated development of PV and hydrogen energy. CSIC 712 Research Institute: the 100-kg-class hydrogen-powered hexacopter UAV “Hydrogen Peak No. 1,” which it led in developing, successfully completed its maiden flight. It is understood that Hanhydrogen Power, as the main supplier of the hydrogen supply system for hydrogen fuel cell UAVs, participated in the formulation of T/CEEIA265-2017 Technical Specification for Fuel Cell Fuel Systems of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by the China Electrotechnical Society. Shanghai Yigong Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: Yigong Hydrogen Energy has seen concentrated batch shipments of its hydrogen compressor products, which have been delivered to project sites across the country for commercial operation. Guofu (Jinan) Hydrogen Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd.: registered capital is 2 million yuan, and the legal representative is Ding Leizhe. Equity information shows that Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Technology Equipment Co., Ltd. holds 80% of the company, while Zhejiang Lingniu Yishi New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. holds 20%. Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) disclosed patent CN2025110028, developing a ceramic-based anion exchange membrane with laboratory-tested service life reaching 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing an Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity close to platinum-based materials. Technology Footprint/Technical Specifications 1. Professor Yu Ying’s team at Central China Normal University developed a three-dimensional graded nanostructured catalytic electrode, a core component for seawater hydrogen production. 2. Dalian University of Technology designed an electron-pump catalyst with an asymmetric photoresponse structure to maintain asymmetry in electron distribution. 3. Research teams from the School of Electrical Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Materials and Electrical Insulation successfully developed a Ru/Ti3C2Ox@NF bifunctional electrocatalyst for seawater electrolysis. 4. Johnson Matthey and Syensqo achieved efficient recycling and reuse of platinum group metals and ionomers in PEM fuel cells and electrolyzers, significantly reducing carbon footprint. 5. Teams from Xi’an Jiaotong University and Peking University jointly developed a new-type osmium-based catalyst, significantly improving the efficiency and economics of AEM water electrolysis hydrogen production and supporting the scaled deployment of low-cost green hydrogen.

On the morning of March 10, the unveiling ceremony and construction launch meeting for the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Efficient Green Fuel Synthesis Systems Engineering (Preparatory) were successfully held at Shanghai Boiler Works Co., Ltd. Xuan Fuzhen, President of East China University of Science and Technology, and Wu Lei, Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Electric Group, jointly unveiled the laboratory, marking the official entry of the key laboratory’s development into a new stage of substantive progress. Zheng Guanghong, Second-Level Inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, witnessed the ceremony on site. Led by Shanghai Boiler Works Co., Ltd. and jointly established with East China University of Science and Technology, the laboratory focuses on tackling critical “bottleneck” technological challenges in the application field of efficient synthesis of green fuels such as green methanol, green ammonia, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It has precisely laid out three core research directions: efficient synthesis of diversified green fuels, high-efficiency clean power equipment, and AI + digital twin flexible regulation and control. It is committed to building a full-chain innovation system spanning basic R&D, pilot-scale verification, and industrialisation, thereby supporting breakthroughs in green fuel technologies and their industrial application. Wu Lei, Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Electric Group, stated at the event that the high-standard development of the key laboratory for green fuels is an important practice for Shanghai Electric in implementing the national development strategy for new quality productive forces in the energy sector and promoting the deep integration of green fuel technological innovation with industry. Shanghai Electric will use the laboratory’s development as an important lever, providing comprehensive support in policy, resources, funding, and other aspects, fully integrating high-quality internal and external resources, and making every effort to advance technological research, professional talent cultivation, and the commercialisation of scientific research achievements, thereby contributing wisdom and strength to the high-quality development of China’s green fuel industry. Xuan Fuzhen, President of East China University of Science and Technology, pointed out that the university will give full play to its disciplinary strengths, carry out close and pragmatic cooperation with Shanghai Electric, vigorously promote the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, focus on core challenges in green fuel synthesis technologies and equipment, strive to achieve major technological breakthroughs, and work together to build a benchmark for collaborative innovation among industry, academia, and research. Jin Xiaolong, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Electric Group, Vice President Qiu Jiayou, and relevant leaders from the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, East China University of Science and Technology, and Shanghai Electric Power Station Group attended the event.

Capacity side, according to incomplete statistics, China’s alkaline electrolyzer market remained at 43.77 GW, and the PEM electrolyzer market remained at 2.7 GW, with no new capacity added. No offline delivery information was available this week. Project-related updates: Guohua (Ningxia) New Energy Co., Ltd.: A price inquiry procurement was issued for the pre-feasibility study report preparation service for the Guohua Ningxia 100,000-mt Green Hydrogen Energy Supply Base Project (chemical section). It was understood that the Ningdong water electrolysis hydrogen production project of Guohua Ningxia had already put into operation a scale of 20,000 Nm³/h, with 6,000 Nm³/h under construction. Datang Inner Mongolia Duolun Coal Chemical Co., Ltd.: An inquiry-based procurement was launched for the feasibility study and green methanol certification consulting technical services for the CNCEC Duolun Coal Chemical coal-based process biomass co-firing coupled with green electricity green methanol production project. It was understood that the Datang Duolun 150,000-kW wind and solar power hydrogen production integrated demonstration project was China’s first medium-to-large-scale technology demonstration project for off-grid wind and solar power hydrogen production deeply coupled with coal chemical engineering. It was invested in and constructed by Datang Duolun Ruiyuan New Energy Co., Ltd., with a total investment of approximately 1.3 billion yuan. Construction officially began in November 2023, hydrogen was successfully produced on December 29, 2024, and it was formally connected to grid and put into operation on January 17, 2025. Shaanxi Construction Installation Group Co., Ltd.: The Guyang-Baiyun Obo gas transmission pipeline project, undertaken by Shaanxi Construction Installation Group, reached a major milestone, with its Guyang initial station and valve chamber having successfully passed completion acceptance. It was reported that the gas transmission pipeline project has a 20% hydrogen blending transmission capacity and is a key planned construction project under the “county-to-county coverage in western Inner Mongolia” initiative in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s 14th Five-Year Plan for oil and gas development. The pipeline has a total length of 125 km, starting from the Guyang initial station and generally running from south to north, successively passing through Guyang County, Darhan Muminggan Banner, and the Baiyun Obo mining district in Baotou City, and ultimately reaching Barun Industrial Park. Jiamusi Hanya New Energy Co., Ltd.: The Jiamusi Hanya wind power hydrogen production synthetic green methanol integrated project was filed. The project is located in Heilongjiang Province, with a total investment of 4 billion yuan. Construction scale and contents: mainly the construction of a 300,000-mt green methanol production unit and a thermal energy storage unit, with a planned land area of approximately 350,000 m². Windey Energy Technology Group Co., Ltd.: The list of winning candidates was announced for the biomass gasification process package and technical services project for the first-phase Handan Biomass Green Methanol Project. The top-ranked winning candidate was East China Engineering Science and Technology Co., Ltd. It was understood that East China Engineering has extensive experience in the gasification field, with experience in the design, construction, EPC general contracting, commissioning, and operation of more than 100 gasifiers, covering various mainstream processes such as fixed bed, fluidized bed, and entrained-flow bed. Zhongqing Xinneng (Baotou) Equipment Co., Ltd.: The annual production project for 100,000 hydrogen storage cylinders for hydrogen two-wheelers was filed. The project is located in Kundulun District, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It plans to build a production line with an annual capacity of 100,000 hydrogen storage cylinders for hydrogen two-wheelers, including production workshop renovation and supporting utilities. Annual output value will reach 100 million yuan. The planned construction period is from April 2026 to September 2026. Shenneng North (Otog Banner) Energy Co., Ltd.: The change to the 30 MW-class pure hydrogen gas turbine hydrogen energy storage demonstration project under the Otog Banner integrated wind and solar power hydrogen production and green ammonia synthesis project was filed. After the change, the project site is located in the eastern project area of the Ordos Otog Economic Development Zone, within Shenneng's water electrolysis hydrogen production station in Ordos City, Otog Banner, bounded to the north by the green hydrogen-to-green ammonia project under the Otog Banner integrated wind and solar power hydrogen production and green ammonia synthesis project, to the east by Jingsan Street, to the west by Jinger Street, and to the south by Weisi Road. Construction scale and content: the project covers an area of 500 sq m, of which the hydrogen gas turbine occupies 300 sq m. As a hydrogen energy storage demonstration project, it includes one 30 MW pure hydrogen gas turbine, generator, hydrogen storage equipment, and supporting facilities. Through wind and solar power generation and water electrolysis for hydrogen production, the project has a total hydrogen storage capacity of 360,000 Nm³, an effective hydrogen storage volume of 270,000 Nm³, and is equipped with 12 spherical hydrogen storage tanks, each with a water capacity of 1,875 m³. Jiyuan (Siping) Green Energy Co., Ltd.: The EPC tender for the hydrogen production works of the SPIC Green Energy Lishu wind and solar power hydrogen production, biomass-coupled green methanol project was released. It is understood that the project is located in the chemical park of the Siping New-type Industrialized Economic Development Zone, Lishu County, Siping City, Jilin Province. It adopts a green hydrogen coupled with biomass gasification process to synthesize 197,200 mt/year of methanol, started construction in August 2025, and is expected to be commissioned in September 2027. The project includes three hydrogen production workshops. Workshops No. 1 and No. 2 each are arranged with 12 sets of 1,000 Nm³/h alkaline electrolytic hydrogen production electrolyzers plus three sets of 4,000 Nm³/h hydrogen purification units; Workshop No. 3 is arranged with four sets of 1,000 Nm³/h alkaline electrolytic hydrogen production electrolyzers plus one set of 4,000 Nm³/h gas-liquid separation unit, among others. Sinopec Sales Co., Ltd. Tibet Petroleum Branch : The tender notice for Section I of the general construction contracting project for the Shannan hydrogen-oxygen combined supply project was released. The construction site is in Naidong District, Shannan City, Tibet Autonomous Region; the planned construction period is 180 days; the estimated contract value for the section is 27.23 million yuan (tax included); the hydrogen production portion of the section tender includes an IGBT rectifier and control system skid, hydrogen production skid, oxygen purification unit, pure water machine and chiller unit skid, and related supporting facilities, while the hydrogen refueling portion includes a 35 MPa dual-nozzle hydrogen dispenser, 45 MPa hydrogen compressor skid, 45 MPa hydrogen storage cylinder bank, and sequence control panel. Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Co., Ltd.: It held a signing ceremony at Ming Yang Group headquarters for the hydrogen-fueled gas turbine complete-unit R&D and manufacturing project with the People's Government of Hudai Town, Binhu District, Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, with both parties formally reaching a strategic cooperation agreement. Sichuan Zhongke Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. : First Public Notice of Environmental Impact Assessment Information for Phase II of the Integrated Energy Station Project Featuring Hydropower, Wind and Solar Power, Hydrogen, and Natural Gas Multi-Energy Complementarity. According to the document, Phase II of the integrated energy station project featuring hydropower, wind and solar power, hydrogen, and natural gas multi-energy complementarity is located in Nanchong High-tech Zone, with Sichuan Zhongke Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. as the project developer. It will build an integrated hydrogen production and refueling station, along with supporting public utility facilities, to realise the hydrogen refueling function of the integrated energy station for hydrogen-powered vehicles, and will also build one hydrogen energy industry R&D production site. GRINM Engineering Institute Co., Ltd. : The new materials pilot platform in Huairou Science City completed final acceptance upon completion, and four key pilot lines, including solid-state hydrogen storage and ceramic co-firing materials, entered the stage of commissioning and line integration. Among them, the total investment in the solid-state hydrogen storage project is 14.5 million yuan, and the total investment in the ceramic co-firing materials project is 12 million yuan, which will support the commercialisation of new material achievements and the industrialisation of hydrogen energy and key electronic materials. Policy Review​ 1. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued a notice on carrying out pilot work for the comprehensive application of hydrogen energy. The document states that by 2030, hydrogen energy in city clusters is expected to achieve large-scale application across diverse fields, and the average price of hydrogen for end-use is expected to fall below 25 yuan/kg, with efforts to reduce it to around 15 yuan/kg in certain advantaged regions; national fuel cell vehicle ownership is expected to double from the 2025 level, with efforts to reach 100,000 units. Through the expansion of application scale, it will promote innovative breakthroughs in hydrogen energy application technologies, processes, and equipment, realise iterative upgrades of fuel cells, electrolyzers, storage and transportation devices, and materials, and promote hydrogen energy as a new economic growth driver to support a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development. 2. The People's Government of Hunan Province issued the Hunan Province 2026 Plan for National Economic and Social Development. The document states that efforts will be made to advance the circular economy and cleaner production and build a number of zero-carbon parks and zero-carbon factories. It is expected to accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy system, optimise the management of new energy project pipelines, and speed up the construction of key wind and solar power projects. It will expand green energy consumption scenarios and implement a three-year doubling plan for the service capacity of charging facilities. It will also actively develop the hydrogen energy industry and expand the scale of natural gas utilisation. 3. With the approval of the National Energy Administration, the Standardization Technical Committee for Hydrogen Energy in the Energy Industry was established in Beijing. The establishment of this committee was intended to improve the industry standards system, lead technological innovation, and regulate market order. Enterprise Developments Haida Qingneng Ship (Dalian) Co., Ltd.: The nation's first inland 64-TEU hydrogen fuel cell-powered container vessel, Dongfang Qinggang, for which it supplied the powertrain, successfully completed its first long-distance trial voyage. The entire system operated stably, the navigation performance was excellent, and the trial voyage was a complete success. Hydrogen Power (Beijing) Technology Services Co., Ltd.: 100 hydrogen-powered refrigerated trucks were officially delivered to Hydrogen Cheng Times and will be operated by Hydrogen Power Technology as the agent. Rongcheng New Energy Group: Successfully delivered 50 hydrogen-powered heavy trucks to Cangzhou Huagang International Logistics Co., Ltd. This batch of vehicles will be put into service on the transport route from Huanghua Port to the Shandong Lubei Aluminum Industry Base. CSSC Engine Co., Ltd.: Its WinGD6X72DF-A-1.0 ammonia-fueled low-speed engine successfully passed functional integration approval and bench testing, and was successfully delivered in Qingdao. It is understood that this was the first ammonia-fueled marine engine in China to be formally delivered as a commercial product. Aerospace Engineering Company: Signed contracts for two major green hydrogen engineering projects in succession, namely the hydrogen refueling station water electrolysis hydrogen production project of Zhongqing Energy Development (Shandong) Co., Ltd., and the electrolytic hydrogen production unit project for the Inner Mongolia Fenglü green hydrogen-coupled coal-to-olefins project. For these two projects, Aerospace Engineering Company will provide a total of 16 sets of HTJSDJ-1000/1.6 alkaline electrolyzers, together with supporting post-processing systems and utility engineering equipment, and will be responsible for engineering design. This cooperation marked Aerospace Engineering Company's simultaneous breakthroughs in the two major fields of green transportation and green hydrogen chemicals. Qinghang Times (Shenzhen) Technology Co., Ltd. : Qinghang Times was established on January 5, 2026, with a registered capital of 1 million yuan and legal representative He Rongjie. Founded by a Tsinghua University master's and doctoral team, it received support from Tsinghua entrepreneurship and innovation platforms including Tsinghua i-Space and Tsinghua Chuang+, and was selected for the Sci-Tech Innovation Light "Future Tech Innovators Program." With a technical solution combining liquid hydrogen storage and a high-temperature PEM hydrogen-electric coupling system, it increases aircraft driving range by more than 10 times and payload capacity by 2-3 times. Recently, it completed seed-round financing of several million yuan, with the investor undisclosed. Shenzhen Hydrogen Zhi Energy Co., Ltd.: Completed A+ round financing, with Shenzhen Energy Investment as the investor. Anhui Mashui New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. : Anhui Mashui Technology completed A-round financing of over 100 million yuan, led by NIO Capital. This round of funding will be used primarily to fulfill large orders, increase R&D reserves, support new factory construction, and cover daily operations, so as to drive the integration and upgrading of the industry chain. China Energy Engineering Corporation Research Institute: The kick-off meeting for the international standard High-Pressure Liquid Hydrogen Pump for Hydrogen Refueling Stations, led and submitted by the Low-Carbon Institute, was held online. Since the standard was approved for project initiation in November last year, this meeting clarified the advancement plan and technical roadmap, bringing together 20 experts from China, the United States, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, and the European Industrial Gases Association, who reached consensus on core issues such as the standard’s scope and application scenarios, thereby laying a solid foundation for the high-quality and timely delivery of the standard. Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co., Ltd. : A delegation from Thailand’s water, electricity, and related institutions came to China for exchanges on the new energy industry and made a special trip to Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu, to visit the rooftop PV hydrogen production project jointly developed by Zonergy and Guofu Hydrogen Energy. It was understood that the project relied on a distributed PV system installed on factory rooftops and used PV power generation to provide clean and stable electricity for enterprise production and energy applications, balancing efficient energy utilization with green development; at the same time, it integrated hydrogen energy application scenarios and was equipped with an ESS to ensure a stable energy supply for hydrogen production. It is a leading distributed PV hydrogen production demonstration project in China by scale, showcasing China’s advanced achievements in the integrated development of PV and hydrogen energy. Beijing SinoHytec Co., Ltd.: Signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Haitai Solar and the Hebei Hydrogen Energy Society, relying on the National Energy Administration’s first batch of hydrogen energy pilot policies and centering on the Zhangjiakou-Chengde-Tangshan hydrogen energy regional pilot to advance the deep integration of “government, industry, academia, research, and application.” The three parties will focus on the Kangbao-Caofeidian long-distance hydrogen pipeline with annual hydrogen transmission capacity of 1.55 million mt, creating a “hydrogen production in Zhangjiakou and Chengde, application in Tangshan” model. Haitai Solar will provide SinoHytec with a stable hydrogen supply and storage and transportation services, addressing the industry’s high storage and transportation costs and supporting high-quality regional hydrogen energy development and the implementation of the “dual carbon” goals. The Sixth Academy of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation: Released four new hydrogen energy products in Beijing, including an onboard liquid hydrogen system, liquid hydrogen refueling equipment, a liquid hydrogen tank container, and an alkaline electrolyzer, and also released a blue book on the hydrogen energy industry to help build the hydrogen energy industry ecosystem. Beijing Hydrosys Technology Co., Ltd.: Its self-developed hydraulic-driven hydrogen compressor underwent rigorous assessment and passed EU CE certification. Patent Applications 1. Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) disclosed patent CN2025110028 and developed a ceramic-based anion exchange membrane, with a laboratory-tested service life of up to 80,000 hours. 2. Johnson Matthey (UK) filed patent WO2025109876, disclosing an Fe-Ni-Mo ternary non-precious metal catalyst formulation with activity close to that of platinum-based materials. Technology Footprint/Technical Specifications 1. A joint team from Xi’an Jiaotong University and Peking University jointly conducted R&D on a new-type osmium-based catalyst, significantly improving the efficiency and economics of hydrogen production via AEM water electrolysis and supporting the large-scale deployment of low-cost green hydrogen. 2. Johnson Matthey and Syensqo achieved efficient recycling and reuse of platinum group metals and ionomers in PEM fuel cells and electrolyzers, significantly reducing the carbon footprint. 3. Relevant research teams from the School of Electrical Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University and the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Materials and Electrical Insulation successfully developed the Ru/Ti3C2Ox@NF bifunctional electrocatalyst for seawater electrolysis. 4. The group standard Technical Specification for Hydrogen Production by Coupled Electrolysis with Wind and Solar Power, PV+ESS, and Green Electricity (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 100 kW-class PEM electrolyzer hydrogen production multi-field coupling test device. 5. GKN Powder Metallurgy announced that it has developed a next-generation high performance, high-porosity, high-purity porous transport layer (HP-PTL) for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis.

This week (March 13, 2026–March 19, 2026), multiple enterprises in the solid-state battery sector were active: Dali Times commenced construction of a 2 GWh specialized semi-solid-state battery base; EVE’s Longquan Phase III/IV all-solid-state batteries rolled off the line in Chengdu; Chery released its 600 Wh/kg Rhino all-solid-state battery technology。