China’s hydrogen ambitions are accelerating

Ahead of the China International Hydrogen Congress and Expo, where Hydrogen Council CEO Ivana Jemelkova will be speaking, China’s latest Five-Year Plan and the hydrogen cluster initiative send a very clear signal: hydrogen is now a strategic priority for China’s industrial development.

According to data from our latest Global Hydrogen Compass, China already leads globally in committed hydrogen investment by 2030, with USD 33 billion. It is also the global leader in electrolysis deployment, with 19 GW (1.6 mtpa) of committed renewable hydrogen capacity - around 55% of the global total - supported almost exclusively by domestic demand. 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hydrogencouncil_china-decarbonisation-buildinghydrogen-activity-7442544592010297344-YdBz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAACtuvi0B4cPTEZLf1gzP1Kn-zkQOJ6GAn7U

With the new Five-Year Plan, China is now looking to broaden that momentum even further. Three key signals stand out:

➡️ Hydrogen has been recognized as a strategic technology. Hydrogen is now positioned as a core pillar of China’s industrial development and energy strategy. 

➡️ Industry-wide deployment and scale-up. The plan marks the shift in focus from heavy duty transport to system-wide deployment of hydrogen across industrial applications and new uses, including maritime, distributed generation and storage/ grid/grid balancing. What we’re seeing now is acceleration and expansion in scope.

➡️ Driving scale and cost reduction. The plan promotes competition among cities and clusters and pushes for aggressive cost down with target price of renewable hydrogen production at 3-2 EUR/kg equivalent, while cities and provinces compete for cluster leadership by showcasing their infrastructure and technological readiness.

For #China, hydrogen is not just about #decarbonisation. It’s also about energy security and industrial strength, building resilience, and reinforcing strategic autonomy.

We look forward to learning more about China’s next steps at the China International Hydrogen Congress and Expo and engaging with partners and members across the region.