China's Hydrogen Industry Enters a New Market-Oriented Stage, with Green Hydrogen Capacity Accounting for Over Half of the Global Total

Recently, with the implementation of China's first batch of 41 hydrogen energy pilot projects, the country's hydrogen industry has completely bid farewell to the laboratory "PPT era" and is sprinting toward large-scale commercial application. From the grasslands beyond the Great Wall to the shores of the South China Sea, a quiet energy disruption is unfolding, as what drives heavy industry shifts from black gold dug from the earth to pure green hydrogen converted from grasslands and wind and solar power.
Baotou, Lvliang, and Shenzhen form differentiated development patterns
In Baotou, Inner Mongolia, in the north, this closed loop is being made a reality: nearly 20 industry leaders have set up operations, benchmark projects producing several kt of green hydrogen annually have been launched one after another, nearly 200 kilometers of hydrogen pipelines are being laid at full speed, and heavy trucks in mining areas and city buses have been fully deployed. In May this year, the first 1,000 hydrogen-powered two-wheelers equipped with solid-state hydrogen storage technology hit the streets of Baotou, allowing residents to use clean energy for commuting and grocery shopping.
Also in North China, Lvliang, a major coal-producing city in Shanxi, has built 14 large hydrogen refueling stations and put more than 1,000 fuel cell electric vehicles on the road. Meanwhile, in Shenzhen, South China, 2,000 kilometers away, nearly 200 high-tech enterprises have clustered into a supply chain, with the industry scale exceeding 50 billion yuan, forming a perfect complement to the heavy-duty applications and resource endowments of the north.
Annual hydrogen production exceeds 39 million mt, with full deployment across sea, land, and air
Across the country, this is not just the blossoming of pilot projects but a comprehensive reshaping of the industry. China's annual hydrogen production has crossed the 39 million mt threshold, firmly establishing it as the world's largest hydrogen producer and consumer. Thousands of fuel cell vehicles are running nationwide, more than 10 hydrogen-powered vessels have been launched into operation, and over 30 hydrogen-powered drones have completed test flights, achieving full deployment across sea, land, and air.
China's green hydrogen capacity now accounts for more than half of the global total. With the five major demonstration city clusters gaining momentum and the advancement of the "15th Five-Year Plan" new-type energy system, this trillion-yuan track spanning manufacturing, storage and transportation, and end-use consumption is accelerating from policy-driven growth into a market-driven era.