Shell has begun operations at the Zhangjiakou City Transport Construction Investment Holding Group power-to-hydrogen electrolyser, a joint venture between Shell China and Zhangjiakou City Transport Construction Investment Holding Group.
In Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China, one of the world’s largest hydrogen electrolysers1 began producing green hydrogen today. During the Winter Olympic Games, which begin on February 4, 2022, the electrolyser will provide about half of the total green hydrogen supply for fuel cell vehicles at the Zhangjiakou competition zone.
“The electrolyser is the largest in our portfolio to date and is in line with Shell’s Powering Progress strategy, which includes plans to build on our leading position in hydrogen,” said Wael Sawan, Shell’s Integrated Gas, Renewable and Energy Solutions Director. “We see opportunities across the hydrogen supply chain in China, including its production, storage and shipping. We want to be the trusted partner for our customers from different sectors as we help them decarbonise in China.”
The project is part of a joint venture formed in November 2020 between Shell China and Zhangjiakou City Transport Construction Investment Holding Group Co. Ltd. The joint venture’s first phase includes a 20 megawatt (MW) power-to-hydrogen electrolyser and hydrogen refueling stations in Zhangjiakou. Phase 2 of the project will see the companies scale up to 60 MW in the next two years.
This is Shell’s first commercial hydrogen development project in China, and it took only 13 months to complete. The project will initially use onshore wind power to provide green hydrogen to a fleet of over 600 fuel cell vehicles at the Zhangjiakou competition zone during the Winter Olympic Games. The hydrogen will then be used for public and commercial transportation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, assisting in the decarbonization of the region’s mobility sector.
“The hydrogen industry is critical for Zhangjiakou’s transition to low-carbon energy and to achieve the city’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets. The recent approval of the Hebei Fuel Cell Vehicle Demonstration City Cluster, which is led by our city, will also accelerate the development of the hydrogen industry in our city,” said Bai Jing, Director, Zhangjiakou Municipal Development and Reform Commission. “This project will help secure hydrogen supply for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and make it a green one while contribute to the development of hydrogen industry in the city and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.”
“We are glad to contribute to China’s progress towards its commitment for a carbon-neutral Olympic Games, and in the longer term for its 2030 and 2060 carbon targets,” said Jason Wong, Executive Chairman of Shell Companies in China. “With project phase 2 expansion plans and through partnerships with the local government and businesses, we will support the development of a low-carbon energy system and low-carbon transport system in Zhangjiakou and the wider Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.”
The world’s largest hydrogen electrolyser, measured by production capacity, is a 30MW unit operated by Baofeng Energy in China, while the second largest is a 20MW unit operated by Air Liquide in Canada. Shell’s Zhangjiakou Integrated Green Hydrogen Hub project, along with a 30 MW electrolyser operated by Baofeng Energy and a 10 MW electrolyser operated by HyPower in Hebei province, is one of only three commercial-scale electrolysers in China today.
