Hydrogen Energy in China: Hydrogen Transport and Fueling Stations

[moniya12]

Sinopec hydrogen station.
Sinopec hydrogen station.
In April 2022, the Chinese government announced that it had built 250 hydrogen filling stations. This, according to China, is the highest number in the world, accounting for 40% of all hydrogen stations on the planet. China is no stranger to grandiose claims, but there may be some truth to them. The United States has 48 stations, Germany has 91, and Japan has about 160.

An interesting problem facing the development of China’s hydrogen infrastructure is the classification of hydrogen. In China, hydrogen is classified as a “hazardous chemical” rather than an “energy source” like gasoline or diesel. This means that every part of the storage and transport chain must be more strictly protected, which increases finland email address costs. Hydrogen producers have been lobbying for this classification to be changed for some time, but to no avail. Most of China’s hydrogen is transported by tanker truck. Pipelines could be a solution, but building a completely new pipeline infrastructure just for hydrogen is also very expensive.

Sinopec, which is also one of the largest operators of filling stations in China, plans to have 1,000 hydrogen filling stations by 2025. At the end of 2021, there were about 100. In addition to the big oil companies, there are several smaller companies that are also trying to get into the hydrogen business. An interesting example is Hyfun, founded in 2016 and specializing in hydrogen stations. The company claims to operate 10 hydrogen stations, with another 57 under construction.

CNPC Hydrogen Station.
CNPC Hydrogen Station.
Not far behind is China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), another major Chinese oil and gas company. So far, it has promised only 50 hydrogen stations “in the future,” and currently operates only two stations, with six more under construction. There are millions of smaller pilot projects across China, with one or two stations in industrial areas. These projects are often joint ventures between local gas companies and truck makers.