Australian renewable energy developer Genex plans to reconfigure Stage 1 of its 2.5GW Bulli Creek Clean Energy Park in Queensland, reducing the solar component from 775MW to 300MW while adding a 425MW/1.7GWh battery energy storage system. The hybrid project, located around 275km west of Brisbane, is scheduled to begin construction in 2028 and may serve as a blueprint for the following three stages. Genex said the project review has delayed progress, but local stakeholders remain supportive. The company has also committed up to AUD 500,000 to support the redevelopment of a community hub in Millmerran.

According to Miningweekly, citing Bloomberg, a Cold War-era mine near the Slovak capital Bratislava is attracting attention from the EU. The project, known as Trojarova, is situated on a densely wooded hillside in what is known as the Little Carpathians in Slovakia, where Soviet engineers first discovered antimony-bearing ore layers in the 1980s. Its owner, Canada-based Military Metals Corp (MMC), is seen as an opportunity for Europe to secure a military metal. For critical minerals such as antimony, EU countries appear unable to provide funding and take action, leaving projects like Trojarova vulnerable to being snapped up by competitors. MMC has so far failed to secure an offtake agreement from the EU. As President Trump threatens to raise tariffs on Europe, the project illustrates the danger of Europe falling behind in the fierce competition among superpowers. As imports of critical minerals such as rare earths face restrictions, the US has been actively seeking partnerships with resource-rich countries and funding projects around the world to accelerate development, but Europe has lagged behind. "Member states remain reluctant to foot the bill for mining and processing projects outside their borders, even when geo-economic realities demand it," said Schulz Sabrina, Germany director of the European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES). "Financing remains the main obstacle." The 2023 European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) laid out the EU's strategy. The CRMA set targets that at least 10% of Europe's annual critical materials supply should come from domestic extraction and 40% from domestic processing. These targets compelled member states to take action, identify security gaps, and concentrate investment to ensure secure supplies of battery metals such as lithium. Since then, global competitors have pivoted to military resources such as antimony, gallium, and germanium, but Europe has not followed suit. Insiders believe this is because EU officials lack the authority to pursue policies similar to those of the US and lack the funding to invest. This has made it difficult for underfunded enterprises to launch minor metal projects, as they struggle to raise capital in private markets at the very least. With tight budgets across Europe, many EU member states are unknown on how to take action. In Germany, for example, the economics ministry, the chancellery, and the foreign ministry have yet to agree on how to address critical minerals risks. The result is a deadlock, with EU officials worried that member states fear missing out on opportunities. Last month, the EU reached an agreement with the US on policy coordination to secure critical minerals supply chains. For MMC, this was an important development that could lead to joint US-EU investment and offtake partnerships for Trojarova. On March 24, Hartmann Frank, a German foreign ministry official responsible for Asian affairs, said at an event in Berlin that Europe was not acting fast enough and "not doing enough." "We must implement a long-term strategy, keep the funds and capital in our hands, and invest in these critical minerals over the next decade," he said at a panel discussion hosted by the German Council on Foreign Relations. "Otherwise, we will not be able to break free from this dependency." The Trojarova project, acquired by MMC about two years ago, could be an opportunity. Antimony is a silvery-white metal commonly associated with gold, widely used in military applications such as ammunition, night-vision goggles, and infrared sensors, accounting for 15% of total demand. Other uses include flame retardants, nuclear energy, and renewable energy. "Antimony is a versatile minor metal," said Schulz. "Antimony supply is highly concentrated, and Europe is almost entirely dependent on imports." This is also why MMC has been pitching the Trojarova project to investors as a significant opportunity in Europe, capable of supplying antimony ingots directly to national defense clients. MMC CEO Eldridge Scott said smelters in Germany and Sweden could process ore from the project, helping Europe establish an entire antimony supply chain from mining to processing. The mine, located near the wine town of Pezinok in southwestern Slovakia, was first discovered and mined by the Soviets. Although the 1.7-kilometer-long mine was later abandoned, it remains one of Europe's most significant antimony deposits. MMC is too small to resume production at the mine on its own and needs to co-invest with partners and build a smelter. If production resumes within two to three years, the mine could produce 6,000 mt of antimony annually, meeting one-third of Europe's demand. However, the company, with a market capitalization of less than $30 million, needs substantial funding. In addition, critical minerals prices are prone to wild swings, and even in markets such as lithium, several major projects have stalled as miners seek government funding. No matter how high-quality this company's project may be, Europe still lacks the funding and determination to ensure the development of these resources. Germany's own 1 billion euro raw material fund has so far supported only two projects, creating more barriers for companies to qualify than it has removed. The European Commission and its member states have signed multiple memoranda of understanding with producing countries. For example, Spain reached an agreement with Brazil last month. However, US agreements with these countries are larger in funding scale and progressing faster. The US government's agreement with the EU reflects its so-called price floors to safeguard producers' operations. European countries have been hesitant, but sometimes have had no choice but to agree to US proposals. Meanwhile, the momentum for EU action has largely given way to other more pressing crises. In contrast, although the US government has recently been focused on conflicts such as the Iran war, the president's team of aides has been busy identifying mineral projects and bidding to secure them. A US enterprise has already approached MMC to request a field trip to the Trojarova project. Meanwhile, the US government's investment arm agreed last month to a $5 million deal to restart another shuttered antimony mine in North Macedonia. MMC president Hüser Thomas hopes Trojarova will not face a similar outcome. The German national, formerly a manager at Glencore, joined the company this year. "What we still lack is not plans, but enforcement," he said. "Europe's raw material strategy remains fragmented, slow, and often disconnected from industrial reality."

A Chinese energy and chemical firm plans to build a magnesium alloy project in Turkmenistan, leveraging local resources and Chinese technology. Meanwhile, Brazil sharply raised anti-dumping duties on Chinese magnesium ingots to $4.07/kg, effectively closing direct export channels.

[SMM Magnesium Survey: Chinese Magnesium Industry Expands into Turkmenistan, Brazil's Tariff Hike Blocks Exports to Brazil] A Chinese energy and chemical enterprise planned to build a magnesium alloy project in Turkmenistan, combining local raw materials with Chinese technology. Brazil significantly raised the anti-dumping duty on magnesium ingots from China to $4.07/kg, effectively closing the direct export channel.

Given the high reliance of the Copperbelt’s mineral processing and logistics on critical consumables supplied via the Middle East, SMM conducted a 17-day field investigation across the Copperbelt to assess the short-term stability of the copper supply chain and the impact of regional infrastructure bottlenecks, engaging with 25 stakeholders in Zambia and DRC and covering the entire value chain, ranging from mining, smelting, refining to downstream logistics and infrastructure investment.

Egyptian company Kemet recently finalized three landmark agreements with Chinese partners to localize solar manufacturing. The deal includes a $500 million integrated complex for 5 GW of solar cells and modules, a 5 GWh BESS factory ($200M investment), and the establishment of Egypt’s first-ever solar inverter plant. These initiatives, alongside the 2 GW ATUM Solar complex currently under construction, aim to reduce import dependency and support Egypt’s goal of reaching 42% renewable energy by 2030 through a robust domestic supply chain.

In Q1 2026, China's hydrogen energy industry officially moved beyond the concept verification phase and fully entered a new stage of large-scale development. Two landmark events—the commissioning of Xinjiang Sunion Energy’s coke oven gas hydrogen production project and the cumulative hydrogen refueling volume exceeding 10,000 kilograms at the Batuta heavy-haul railway hydrogen refueling station in Inner Mongolia—have validated the core industry trend of cost reduction, scenario expansion and regional agglomeration from the two dimensions of low-cost hydrogen supply and diversified application scenarios respectively. I. Market Status: Accelerated Large-scale Development, Dual Breakthroughs in Supply and Application Hydrogen production capacity has achieved leapfrog growth, with Northwest and North China emerging as core agglomeration hubs. Driven by the dual-carbon strategy, China’s hydrogen production capacity has seen explosive growth. As of the end of March 2026, the completed and under-construction renewable energy hydrogen production capacity across China has surpassed 1 million tons per annum, among which the operational capacity exceeds 250,000 tons per annum, more than doubling compared with the end of 2024. The industrial layout shows a high geographical concentration; Northwest and North China have become core clusters by virtue of resource endowments.Jilin (over 90,000 tons per annum) and Inner Mongolia (over 80,000 tons per annum) have registered rapid development. The operational hydrogen production capacity in Northeast China accounts for 45.7% of the national total, shaping the initial industrial pattern of hydrogen supply from west to east and hydrogen transmission from north to south . The supply structure continues to optimize, and industrial by-product hydrogen production has become the mainstay of low-cost hydrogen supply. Currently, profound adjustments are taking place in China’s hydrogen supply structure. Boasting low cost and waste-to-energy advantages, industrial by-product hydrogen production has become the most economical pathway at this stage. Purifying hydrogen from coal chemical by-product coke oven gas features nearly zero raw material cost, perfectly matching cost-sensitive industrial scenarios. Meanwhile, driven by technological iteration, the cost of green hydrogen in multiple regions of Northwest China has dropped to 12–15 RMB per kilogram, gradually approaching the cost of gray hydrogen and laying a foundation for long-term low-carbon hydrogen supply. Application scenarios have evolved from demonstration to diversification, with industry and transportation acting as core growth engines. The year 2026 is regarded as the inaugural year for large-scale industrial application of hydrogen energy, with scenarios expanding rapidly into in-depth application fields. In the transportation sector, the commercial operation of hydrogen heavy-duty trucks has matured, with a thousand-unit scale put into operation in Lvliang, Shanxi. The launch of hydrogen refueling stations for heavy-haul railways fills the gap in carbon emission reduction for rail transit. In the industrial sector, a closed-loop model of on-site hydrogen production and consumption via by-product purification has taken shape among chemical enterprises. Industrial decarbonization has replaced transportation as the core driving force for industry growth. II. Recent Project Highlights: Two Benchmark Projects Accurately Align with Market Trends Xinjiang Sunion Energy’s coke oven gas hydrogen production project sets a model for industrial by-product hydrogen production. Recently, Xinjiang Sunion Energy’s 5,000 Nm³/h green hydrogen production project using coke oven gas was fully put into operation. The project converts waste industrial coke oven gas into high-purity clean hydrogen, realizing waste recycling and effectively solving exhaust emission problems, while supplying low-cost hydrogen to methanol plants. Furthermore, it provides a replicable development model for coal chemical agglomeration areas in Northwest China and boosts regional hydrogen supply capacity. The Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station in Inner Mongolia marks a milestone in hydrogen energy application for heavy-haul railways. As of April 16, 2026, China’s first hydrogen refueling station for heavy-haul railways—the Batuta Station—has recorded a cumulative hydrogen refueling volume of over 10,000 kilograms. Equipped with a 45 MPa skid-mounted compressor and a maximum hydrogen refueling flow rate of 7.2 kg/min, the station is specially built for high-power hydrogen-powered shunting locomotives. It marks substantive progress in the application of hydrogen energy to heavy-haul railways, addresses the high-emission pain point of traditional locomotives, and verifies the stability of high-flow hydrogen refueling equipment under extreme cold and high-load operating conditions. III. Summary and Outlook In Q1 2026, China's hydrogen energy industry has entered a pragmatic stage focusing on economic efficiency calculation. From the utilization of coke oven gas in Xinjiang to hydrogen refueling for railways in Inner Mongolia, the industrial development logic is shifting from policy-driven alone to multi-dimensional driving led by resources, application scenarios and economic viability, which is expected to reshape the energy consumption pattern of industrial and transportation sectors.

[US Lithium Mine Development Boom: From One Mine to Over 100 Planned Projects by 2030] The US lithium industry is standing at the threshold of a historic transformation, about to leap from its current status of having only one producing lithium mine to becoming a significant participant in the global critical battery metals market. Currently, only one lithium mine is operating across the entire US, but this landscape is about to change rapidly. By 2030, at least six new projects are expected to come into production successively, with another 13 projects close behind. This round of expansion is primarily concentrated in the geologically favorable arid regions of the Southwest, but this is merely the beginning of a potential mining boom. According to the latest industry data, enterprises have identified over 100 potential lithium ore extraction areas nationwide. Behind this aggressive expansion is the continued climb in lithium ore demand from EV batteries and renewable energy ESSs—both of which are indispensable key elements of the energy transition. The rapid expansion of lithium mining scale has raised important questions from the outside world about environmental impacts, water resource consumption, and how to strike a balance between domestic mineral security and ecological protection. In this race for self-sufficient supply of "white gold," community residents and environmental protection advocates are closely watching how this industrial transformation will advance and take shape in some of America's most fragile desert ecosystems. Source: https://www.envirolink.org [Lithium Ore Reserves in Eastern US States May Replace Over a Century of Import Demand] U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists announced this discovery, estimating its scale sufficient to replace over three hundred years of lithium import demand. The US currently relies on imports for nearly half of its lithium consumption, a dependency that has long been a concern for energy security analysts. Lithium occupies a central position in the modern economy, serving as a critical material for lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, laptops, EVs, and aerospace alloys. Against the backdrop of accelerating global demand and intensifying geopolitical pressures, domestic reserves of this scale carry significant strategic importance. This discovery came at a sensitive period in the global mineral landscape. Australia currently supplies nearly half of global lithium production, while China not only has considerable production but also dominates global refining and consumption. Thirty years ago, the US was the world's largest lithium producer, but that position was long since relinquished. Whether this discovery can help the US return to that position remains to be seen, but the scale of data cited is sufficient to warrant serious attention. The scale of this discovery is most vivid in numbers. According to USGS estimates, the reserves are sufficient to support the construction of 1.6 million grid-scale batteries, and officials stated they could power 130 million EVs or support 180 billion laptops running cumulatively for a thousand years. USGS also estimates that the reserves could support the production of 500 billion mobile phones, equivalent to approximately 60 devices for every person currently on Earth. Perhaps the most striking figure in the USGS assessment is this: measured against last year's consumption levels, the reserves are sufficient to replace 328 years of US lithium import demand. This is not a forecast of future demand, but merely a baseline comparison between existing underground reserves and historical US import demand. Source: https://indiandefencereview.com [European Metals' Cinovec Lithium Mine Project EIA Passes Czech Ministry of Environment Review] European Metals Holdings Limited (ASX/AIM: EMH) announced that its flagship Cinovec lithium mine project in the Czech Republic has achieved a significant milestone in environmental permitting. The Czech Ministry of Environment has completed its review and officially released the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, with a public hearing scheduled to be held in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, a cross-border EIA process involving German authorities has been formally initiated to address the transnational impacts of the project along the Czech-German border. For investors tracking the development progress of the Cinovec project, these developments are not routine updates — the company has explicitly identified the EIA release as a critical path period for obtaining final approval and advancing the project to implementation. "We are pleased with the progress the project team has made on environmental permitting for the Cinovec project. The release of the EIA report by the Czech Ministry of Environment is a critical path period for obtaining final EIA approval and advancing the Cinovec project." — Executive Chairman Keith Coughlan Source: [Latin America's Lithium Supply Gap: Structural Barriers Constraining Capacity Release] The global energy transition is built on a series of assumptions, and one of the most consequential is that the world's largest lithium reserves, concentrated in a narrow strip of South America, will be able to reliably convert into the battery-grade lithium materials increasingly and urgently needed for EVs, power grid ESSs, and consumer electronics. However, this assumption is being put to a severe test. Latin America's lithium supply gap is not a matter of salt flats being depleted or aquifers running dry, but rather a widening chasm between underground reserves and market-accessible capacity. Reserves are abundant, yet production-ready capacity falls far short. More critically, this gap continues to widen at a pivotal moment when global demand is accelerating its climb. To understand the root causes, one must look beyond the surface figures and examine in depth the structural mechanisms behind the entire chain from lithium geological deposits to battery cathode material. Source:

JSW Steel delivered record production and sales in FY2024-25, but weaker steel realizations dragged down revenue and margins, creating a clear growth paradox: higher volumes but lower earnings quality. As India’s largest steelmaker, JSW’s next challenge is to turn its scale into more resilient earnings through higher VASP contribution, stronger raw material security, selective overseas improvement, technology partnerships, and decarbonization readiness.

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. This week, no offline public delivery data was available. Project-related updates: Heilongjiang Jiayirongyuan Green Chemical Co., Ltd.: China Chemistry Tianchen Company signed an EPC general contracting contract with Heilongjiang Jiayirongyuan Green Chemical Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jiaze New Energy, for the 300,000 mt green hydrogen-methanol-aviation fuel chemical co-production project in Jidong County, Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province. The project has a total investment of approximately 3.557 billion yuan and is a key project under the national "dual carbon" strategy. Using agricultural and forestry waste as raw material and adopting biomass gasification and cellulose fermentation technologies, the project plans to produce 240,000 mt of green methanol and 80,000 mt of green ethanol annually, with flexible switching to 50,000 mt/year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The project plans to commence production by the end of 2027, consuming over 1.5 million mt of agricultural and forestry waste annually. Shandong Expressway Service Development Group Co., Ltd.: The PEM electrolysis hydrogen production and energy storage section of the Phase II comprehensive utilization project at Gaomi Service Area Hydrogen Refueling Station released its bid-winning announcement, with Guofu Hydrogen Energy winning the bid at 21.2724 million yuan. The project is part of the Ministry of Science and Technology's "Hydrogen into Homes" demonstration program, undertaken by Shandong Expressway Service Development Group, and is located in the south area of Gaomi Service Area, aiming to build an integrated demonstration station for PV hydrogen production and hydrogen refueling. The project comprises three segments: alkaline hydrogen production, PEM hydrogen production and energy storage, and hydrogen refueling station. Currently, the alkaline hydrogen production section has been completed, and the hydrogen refueling station is under construction. The PEM hydrogen production capacity in this phase is 100 Nm³/h with a rated power of 200 kW, equipped with electrolysis skids, compressors, hydrogen storage cylinder groups, and control systems. The designed construction period is 120 days, and the project will improve the green electricity hydrogen production and energy storage facilities at the expressway service area, supporting the construction of zero-carbon hydrogen expressways. Mingtuo (Inner Mongolia) Comprehensive Resource Utilization Co., Ltd.: The e-SAF (electro-sustainable aviation fuel) project officially received filing approval. The project is located in Jiuyuan Industrial Park, Baotou City, on an industrial planning plot north of Mingtuo Chromium Industry's plant and west of Hengtai Road, with a total investment of 1.8 billion yuan. The plan is to build a 150,000 mt/year electro-sustainable aviation fuel production line, along with supporting facilities including gas pretreatment, synthesis, hydrorefining, fractionation, tank farms, pump stations, and related auxiliary facilities. The project plans to start construction in April 2027 and be completed and put into operation in April 2029. Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy Co., Ltd.: The EPC project for the 5,000 Nm³/h waste coal gas green hydrogen extraction and comprehensive utilization by Xinjiang Shengxiong Energy has fully completed construction tasks, with the full-process commissioning successfully completed in one run, and is now officially ready for production and operation. The project adopts advanced green hydrogen extraction technology, using industrial waste coal gas as raw material to achieve efficient resource conversion of tail gas and produce high-purity clean hydrogen energy. After commissioning, it can extend the coal chemical industry chain, improve the utilization rate of industrial by-product resources, reduce pollutant emissions, and provide a stable hydrogen source for the enterprise's methanol units, achieving synergistic improvement in economic, ecological, and social benefits. Wolong Innorde (Zhejiang) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The company successfully won the bid for the Binyang County, Guangxi green electricity hydrogen production pilot construction project (100 Nm³/h AEM hydrogen production equipment) and has officially signed the contract, marking an important breakthrough in the company's market expansion in the green electricity hydrogen production field and laying a solid foundation for further business development in the South China region. The project was initiated by Kunpeng Water, a Guangxi local state-owned enterprise, and is the first AEM technology green electricity hydrogen production project in Guangxi. It completed filing in March 2026 and aims to leverage green electricity resources to conduct hydrogen production pilot trials, supporting regional energy structure transformation and industrial decarbonization. Wuhan Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences: China's first million-cubic-meter-level salt cavern hydrogen storage demonstration project, led by the institute, was officially put into operation in Pingdingshan City, Henan Province. The project is China's first hydrogen storage facility built in bedded salt rock formations, which explored the multi-scale migration patterns of hydrogen in ultra-low permeability rock salt, overcame the core technology of precise site and layer selection for salt cavern hydrogen storage, and effectively verified the long-term sealing performance and engineering feasibility of hydrogen storage in bedded salt rock. Baimahu Laboratory Hydrogen Energy (Changxing) Co., Ltd.: The Baimahu Laboratory Changxing Hydrogen Energy Base liquid hydrogen test platform installation and commissioning project released a tender announcement. The project is located in Meishan Town, Changxing County, Huzhou City, with a total estimated investment of 310 million yuan and a land area of 68 mu. The project budget is 55.0906 million yuan, with construction and installation costs of approximately 51.1045 million yuan, and will build testing platforms for key equipment such as liquid hydrogen valves, storage tanks, and flow meters. The tender scope covers process, electrical, automation control, and equipment installation and commissioning. The planned construction period is 210 calendar days, and consortium bidding is allowed (no more than 2 members). Xindao Hydrogen Energy Technology (Baotou) Co., Ltd.: The Guyang County 200,000 mt/year hydrogen-based green fuel (green methanol) off-grid green electricity direct-connection project officially commenced construction. Located in Jinshan Economic Development Zone, Guyang County, Baotou City, the project is Xindao Energy's first demonstration project in the hydrogen-based green fuel field, with a total investment of 5.1 billion yuan, covering 600 mu. It will be built in three phases, with full completion and commissioning planned for 2028. The energy side is configured with 390 MW off-grid wind power and 100 MW off-grid PV, coupled with biomass waste heat power generation and flywheel energy storage, building an integrated "electricity-hydrogen-carbon-methanol" system to address the challenges of off-grid green electricity fluctuations and stable operation of chemical units, achieving efficient green methanol synthesis. Shenneng Northern (Etuoke Front Banner) Energy Development Co., Ltd.: The electrolysis hydrogen production station project for the Etuoke Front Banner wind and solar power hydrogen production integrated green ammonia synthesis project completed filing. The project is located in the Energy and Chemical Zone of Shanghaimiao Economic Development Zone, Etuoke Front Banner, Ordos City, with clearly defined boundaries and a total investment of 1.3265 billion yuan. The project plans to build a water electrolysis hydrogen production station with an annual output of approximately 20,000 mt of green hydrogen, using PEM proton exchange membrane electrolyzers as the primary equipment, supplemented by ALK alkaline electrolyzers and AEM anion exchange membrane electrolyzers. This approach integrates the advantages of multiple technology pathways to adapt to the fluctuation characteristics of new energy power. Supporting facilities including gas-liquid separation, hydrogen purification, hydrogen storage, water treatment, step-down substations, and fire safety and security systems will also be constructed. After completion, the station will operate in strict compliance with renewable energy hydrogen production industry safety standards. The project plans to commence construction in December 2026 and be completed in December 2028. Goldwind Green Energy Hydrogen Technology (Xing'an League) Co., Ltd.: The Xing'an League Goldwind Science&Technology Wind Power Hydrogen Production (Phase III) Project officially obtained filing approval. Located in the Xing'an League Economic Development Zone of Inner Mongolia, the project has a total investment of 2 billion yuan. The project mainly involves the construction of hydrogen production, compression, gas storage, air separation units, and related supporting facilities, with a hydrogen production capacity of 160,000 standard cubic meters per hour. Construction plans to commence in September 2026, with completion and commissioning in September 2028. Inner Mongolia Huadian Huayang Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. : The Inner Mongolia Huadian Damaoqi 1 million kW Wind and Solar Power Integrated Hydrogen Production Project released a tender announcement for technical services on a special study on short-circuit ratio improvement. Located in Damaoqi, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia, the first phase plans to build 1 million kW of new energy installed capacity, including 700 MW of wind power and 300 MW of PV, equipped with 70 units of 10 MW wind turbines and 710-740Wp half-cell double-glass N-type PV modules. The project will also construct a 100MW/200MWh LFP battery ESS power station, two 220 kV step-up substations, and collector lines. Multiple alkaline electrolyzer hydrogen production systems are planned, with an annual green hydrogen production capacity of 47,000 mt, supported by 25 units of 2,000 m³ hydrogen gas spherical tanks with a hydrogen storage capacity of 650,000 standard cubic meters, along with a new 220 kV hydrogen production main step-down substation. The tendered services are required to be completed within 45 days from the date of contract signing. Jiangsu Lanze Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: The Dafeng District Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning released a pre-approval public notice for the Lanze Dafeng Port 300,000 mt/year green methanol project. The project is located in the Petrochemical Industrial Park of Dafeng Port Economic Development Zone, Dafeng District, Yancheng City. This public notice mainly involves minor adjustments and optimizations to the dimensions, areas, names, and heights of certain buildings and structures. Beijing Hydrogenergy Technology Co., Ltd. : The company won the bid for the PEM pure water electrolysis hydrogen production equipment procurement project of the Electric Power Research Institute of State Grid Jiangxi Electric Power Co., Ltd., responsible for equipment production, supply, transportation, and subsequent supporting services. The PEM hydrogen production unit awarded in this bid will be used to verify the response characteristics of PEM hydrogen production systems under green electricity fluctuation conditions, accumulating measured operational data for flexible load regulation of the power grid. As one of the earliest PEM hydrogen production research-type units deployed in the Jiangxi power grid system, this project will also provide important technology selection references for the subsequent construction of regional hydrogen energy storage demonstration stations. Datang Jingtai Wind Power Co., Ltd.: Datang released a tender announcement for technical services on the preparation of a feasibility study report for a wind-solar coupled off-grid hydrogen production demonstration project, located in Baiyin District, Baiyin City, Gansu Province. The project plans to build a new 21 MW wind-solar coupled hydrogen production power station, including 14 MW of wind power and 7 MW of PV, with a supporting 5MW/5MWh grid-forming ESS, along with a 12 MW hydrogen production station. The station will selectively deploy ALK, AEM, PEM, and SOEC multi-type electrolyzer equipment, with green hydrogen output required to meet the national standard for ultra-pure hydrogen. The project will also include supporting construction of hydrogen buffer tanks, compression and filling systems, as well as auxiliary facilities such as desalinated water stations, air compressor stations, and control buildings. Longyuan Power Longyuan (Zhangye) New Energy Development Co., Ltd.: The company initiated open procurement for 500 standard cubic meter PEM electrolyzer hydrogen production equipment and ancillary equipment for the Zhangye Carbon Neutrality Industrial Base Wind-Solar-Hydrogen-Storage Integration Project. Located in the Circular Economy Demonstration Park of Zhangye Economic and Technological Development Zone, Gansu Province, this is also the first green electricity hydrogen production project deployed by China Energy Investment Corporation in Gansu Province. Policy Review 1. The General Office of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and other departments jointly issued the Guidelines for Green Design of Industrial Products (2026 Edition). The Guidelines mention: developing green design solutions. Focusing on industries including automobiles, construction machinery, machine tools, bearings, wind power equipment, hydrogen energy equipment, PV, lithium batteries, household appliances, packaging, cleaning products, textiles, biomanufacturing, methanol, and tires, and targeting key directions of green design, the aim is to develop green design solutions that are technologically advanced, economically feasible, and supply-demand compatible, forming a batch of replicable and scalable exemplary green design solutions. The initiative will cultivate green design solution providers with high professional standards and strong service capabilities, building a virtuous ecosystem of "demand-driven—solution development—industrial application." 2. The General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the Opinions on Achieving Higher-Level and Higher-Quality Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction. The document aims to use transportation energy conservation and carbon reduction and green energy transition as two key drivers, coordinating low-carbon development with energy security, and accelerating the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient modern energy and transportation system. Enterprise Updates Guohua Investment Mengxi Branch: China's first heavy-haul railway hydrogen refueling station, the Batuta Hydrogen Refueling Station, achieved a cumulative hydrogen refueling volume exceeding 10,000 kg, marking a milestone in the scaled application of hydrogen energy in China's heavy-haul railway sector. Located at the Hailesuhao South Station in Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, the station is a key hydrogen energy industry demonstration project of Guohua Investment, with a daily hydrogen refueling capacity of 500 kg. It primarily provides hydrogen refueling services for large power hydrogen-powered shunting locomotives and hydrogen fuel cell plus lithium battery zero-emission catenary maintenance vehicles, accumulating valuable demonstration experience for the green and low-carbon transformation of heavy-haul railways. Tianjin Zhonghe Energy Management Co., Ltd.: The world's first 5 MW anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis hydrogen production system completed installation and commenced commissioning, marking the official entry of megawatt-scale AEM technology into the industrial application stage. Beijing Mingyang Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. : The company received written authorization from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), successfully obtaining the manufacturing license and quality certification under the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Guangzhou Yunfu Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd.: The company officially opened in Baiyun District, Guangzhou. Yang Qiang, Chairman of Yuntao Hydrogen, Ding Leizhe, Executive Vice President of Guofu Hydrogen, along with representatives from the government and partners attended the ceremony. Yunfu Hydrogen was jointly established by Guangdong Yuntao Hydrogen and Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen, focusing on R&D, integrated manufacturing, and services for core hydrogen energy equipment, with the goal of building a leading hydrogen energy equipment industrialisation hub in South China. The project has a total investment of 500 million yuan, with a Phase I workshop of approximately 1,300 m², primarily engaged in vehicle-mounted high-pressure hydrogen supply systems and core equipment integration for hydrogen refueling stations. Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy Industry Development Co., Ltd.: The company held a discussion and exchange meeting with the Shenmu Municipal Government and officially signed an investment cooperation framework agreement. At the meeting, Liu Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy, and Han Xiujin jointly signed the agreement. Both parties conducted in-depth exchanges on hydrogen energy industry development planning and key project cooperation, reaching a cooperation consensus. Heads of relevant departments of the Shenmu Municipal Government, as well as heads of relevant departments and subordinate units of Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy, attended the meeting. Tianjin Rongcheng Xinneng Technology Group Co., Ltd.: The company's 5 MW anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysis hydrogen production system completed equipment installation and officially entered the commissioning stage. Zhejiang Sunshine Green Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd.: The company's self-developed A11 and B11-series core electrolyzer equipment successfully completed long-cycle operation verification. The series uniformly adopted a current density of 1.5 A/cm², completing dual-line endurance tests under both atmospheric pressure and 1.6 MPa high-pressure conditions, with uninterrupted stable operation exceeding 8,000 hours in both cases. 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. Two group standards on water electrolysis hydrogen production were officially released and implemented, namely the Safety Technical Specification for Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production and the Calculation Method for Economic Operation Indicators of Water Electrolysis Hydrogen Production. 2. Petronor and H2SITE collaborated to advance membrane technology for hydrogen production, improving high-purity hydrogen and low-carbon efficiency in refining. 3. Dalian University of Technology designed an electron pump catalyst with an asymmetric photo-responsive structure, maintaining the asymmetry of electron distribution. 4. A 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. 5. The team led by Professor Yu Ying at Central China Normal University developed a three-dimensional hierarchical nanostructured catalytic electrode as a core component for seawater hydrogen production.