On October 15, China News Service reported from Beijing that at the Haiper Hydrogen Demonstration Station in the Beijing Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone, several hydrogen-powered vehicles were lined up, ready for refueling. Recognized as the largest hydrogen refueling station globally, it has a maximum daily hydrogen filling capacity of 4.8 tons, sufficient to support 800 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
As a new wave of the energy revolution sweeps across the globe, hydrogen energy is drawing significant attention for its abundant sources, green and low-carbon attributes, and wide-ranging applications. This has prompted both domestic and international stakeholders to actively engage in the sector.
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a themed interview activity focused on high-quality development in Beijing, exploring how the capital is spearheading a green energy transition through hydrogen. We visited the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone and Yanshan Petrochemical to witness firsthand the strategic initiatives being established to cultivate new green development momentum.
Beijing has been at the forefront of hydrogen technology research and demonstration since 2008, continually advancing the application of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. After over a decade of research and nurturing numerous enterprises, Beijing has gained a solid grip on key technologies involved in hydrogen production and usage.
The area surrounding Haiper station plays a crucial role in Beijing’s hydrogen industry development. According to Xiang Yankuan, Deputy Director of the Economic and Information Bureau of Daxing District, since its construction began in August 2020, the demonstration zone has cultivated a favorable ecosystem, attracting leading companies, research institutions, and industry alliances. To date, 228 hydrogen enterprises have been established, completing a comprehensive industrial chain that encompasses hydrogen production, storage and transport, refueling, and utilization.
During my visit to the exhibition hall of the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone, I observed informative displays showcasing the history of hydrogen energy, production technologies, and its applications in both industry and daily life. A highlight was a model of the “Green Electricity Hydrogen Production” device, illustrating the innovative approaches being adopted.
Hydrogen production is the foundation of the hydrogen industry chain. Just over 40 kilometers west of the demonstration zone lies Yanshan Petrochemical, Beijing’s largest hydrogen production and supply company, which accounts for approximately 50% of the city’s hydrogen market supply. Ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Yanshan successfully established a new hydrogen production facility with a capacity of 2,000 standard cubic meters per hour. The hydrogen produced was utilized to ignite the main torch during the Winter Olympics, marking the first instance of zero-carbon emissions for an Olympic torch.
“The byproduct of hydrogen combustion is just water, making it one of the cleanest energy sources in the world,” stated Li Junliang, Chief Expert at Yanshan Petrochemical. He emphasized that hydrogen energy is a vital component of the country’s future energy system. Currently, Yanshan is accelerating the completion of a project to enhance its hydrogen purification capacity to 10,000 standard cubic meters per hour, which is one of the key construction projects for Beijing in 2024.
The “Beijing Renewable Energy Substitution Action Plan (2023-2025),” released last year, outlined that the city will persist in its direction toward renewable energy production for hydrogen. This includes expediting the planning and development of hydrogen production, storage, and utilization systems, while promoting the demonstration and application of green hydrogen in transportation and distributed energy sectors, thus paving new pathways for expanding renewable energy applications.
In the realm of transportation, hydrogen energy has taken the lead due to its strong foundational support. At the Beijing facility of Yonghua Technology, workers clad in gray uniforms were seen meticulously assembling hydrogen fuel cell engine equipment. Bao Jianpeng, Deputy Manager of Production and Operations at Yonghua, shared that the factory’s assembly line is designed to produce around 3,000 units annually, with products capable of operating in extreme conditions down to -35°C for startup and -40°C for storage. These engines find versatile applications across various vehicle types, including buses, logistics, intercity coaches, towing vehicles, sanitation trucks, passenger cars, and forklifts.
Bao expressed confidence in the future of hydrogen fuel cell engines, anticipating that advancements in reliability, safety, economics, and cost will drive the commercial utilization of hydrogen vehicles, ultimately leading to more zero-emission vehicles on the roads. He is optimistic about the potential role of hydrogen energy in the transportation sector and beyond.
