The worldwide energy transformation will include hydrogen significantly. By 2050, it is predicted that hydrogen would make up 10–12% of China’s energy consumption and up to 22% globally.
With an annual output of 33 million tonnes or more than a third of worldwide demand, China is the world’s largest producer of hydrogen.
This is the outcome of several years of significant public investment in research and development related to hydrogen, which is increasingly centered on clean hydrogen technology.
A third of the electrolytic capacity in the world is already accounted for by China. With very few exceptions, it can manufacture all essential components domestically, and local suppliers provide very reasonable prices.
Since 2015, China’s expenditures on research and development pertaining to hydrogen have soared. Between 2018 and 2019, its investment in this sector surged by six times. China spent more than the combined amounts of the United States and Europe at the same time.
Between 2010 and 2020, China contributed close to 40% of the research articles on green hydrogen. More than 120 green hydrogen projects are now under development in China at various levels.
Sinopec, a major player in the hydrogen market currently, has stated its goals to become China’s top hydrogen corporation by 2025 and to have zero carbon emissions by 2050. (ten years ahead of the national target). By 2025, the business expects to manufacture 500,000 tons of hydrogen annually using renewable energy sources, and it has plans to increase the size of its pipeline system.
