【SMM Analysis】Rare Earth & Magnesium—Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Technologies in Different Scenarios In-Depth Analysis of Application Paths and Domestic Enterprise Practices

Introduction

Solid-state hydrogen storage technology is one of the core directions to break through the bottleneck of hydrogen storage and transportation. Rare earth-based materials (such as AB₅ type hydrogen storage alloys) and magnesium-based materials (such as MgH₂) complement each other in terms of power density, cost, and safety due to their material property differences. In April 2025, breakthroughs in the industrialisation of these two types of materials were frequently seen in the global hydrogen energy sector: the University of Science and Technology of China announced that the atmospheric hydrogen storage density of rare earth hydrogen storage tanks reached 7.2wt%, and ThyssenKrupp in Germany released a magnesium-based hydrogen storage system with a cycle life exceeding 500 cycles. This article, based on this week's industry developments, systematically reviews the technological pathways, scenario adaptability, and industrialisation practices of domestic enterprises for these two types of materials, and explores their collaborative development paths.

I. Rare Earth-Based Solid-State Hydrogen Storage: The "Cornerstone Technology" for High Power Density Scenarios

1. Technical Characteristics and Core Breakthroughs

Rare earth-based hydrogen storage materials, represented by LaNi₅ and MmNi₅ (mixed rare earth nickel-based alloys), achieve hydrogen storage through metal hydride reactions. Their technical advantages include:

High Volumetric Hydrogen Storage Density: Under normal pressure, it can reach 30-35 kg/m³ (more than twice that of liquid hydrogen storage), suitable for space-constrained scenarios such as passenger vehicles and drones.

Wide Temperature Range Stability: Operating temperature range from -30℃ to 100℃, with excellent cold start performance at low temperatures (hydrogen absorption completed within 5 minutes).

Cycle Life: Laboratory level has exceeded 10,000 cycles (verified by Toyota's hydrogen-powered heavy trucks).

Key Progress in April 2025:

New-Type Rare Earth-Transition Metal Alloy by USTC: Using the CeCo₀.8Ni₀.2 composite system, the hydrogen storage density reaches 7.2 wt% under 1 MPa normal pressure, with a cycle life exceeding 12,000 cycles, planned for use in the Shanghai Lingang hydrogen bus demonstration project.

China Northern Rare Earth's Low-Cost Mass Production Line: Launched in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 sets of rare earth hydrogen storage tanks, using Pr-Nd-based alloys (lanthanum-cerium content >60%), with a single tank cost reduced by 40% compared to imported products.

Rare Earth-Vanadium-Based Composite Material by Youyan Technology Group: Developed a new-type alloy (V₀.3Ce₀.7), with a hydrogen storage density of 35 kg/m³ under 5 MPa pressure, suitable for hydrogen-powered ship propulsion systems.

2. Core Application Scenarios and Domestic Practices

(1) Dynamic Hydrogen Supply for Fuel Cell Vehicles

Technical Adaptability: Rare earth hydrogen storage tanks can meet the frequent start-stop demands of fuel cell vehicles. For example, China's hydrogen-powered heavy truck "Hydrogen Teng 3.0" is equipped with a rare earth hydrogen storage module, achieving an 800-kilometer driving range on the Ordos coal transportation line, with a 12% reduction in hydrogen consumption per 100 kilometers compared to pure hydrogen systems.

Latest Case: Shanghai Jie Hydrogen Technology has partnered with China Northern Rare Earth to integrate rare earth hydrogen storage tanks into hydrogen refueling station storage systems, compatible with 35MPa hydrogen refueling stations, aiming for a localization rate of over 90% by 2026.

(2) Distributed Power Generation for Peak Shaving

System Integration Solution: Rare earth hydrogen storage tanks are integrated with fuel cells to achieve bidirectional "hydrogen-electricity" conversion. The 50kW distributed power generation system launched by Germany's Hyzon Motors can provide stable power supply during peak grid loads, with a cycle efficiency of 45%.

Domestic Application: Weishi Energy has introduced a rare earth hydrogen storage-fuel cell distributed power generation system, suitable for data center backup power scenarios, reducing response time to 10 seconds.

(3) Emergency Power Supply and High-End Equipment

Toshiba's Solution: A 5kW fuel cell combined with a rare earth hydrogen storage tank has been deployed as a backup power supply at a Tokyo data center.

Domestic Breakthrough: Zhongzi Environmental Protection has developed a rare earth catalyst recovery technology, achieving a recovery rate of over 95% for lanthanum and cerium through hydrometallurgical processes, reducing costs by 60% compared to primary rare earths.

II. Magnesium-Based Solid-State Hydrogen Storage: A "Disruptor" for Low-Cost Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES)

1. Technical Characteristics and Domestic Breakthroughs

Magnesium-based hydrogen storage materials (e.g., MgH₂) store hydrogen through the reversible reaction of magnesium and hydrogen, with a theoretical hydrogen storage density of 7.6wt%. However, the kinetics are slow (requiring high-temperature activation). The 2025 technological breakthroughs focus on:

Nanostructure Modification: The magnesium particles are refined to below 50nm through ball milling, reducing the hydrogen absorption temperature from 300°C to 150°C and increasing the hydrogen absorption rate by threefold.

Catalyst Optimization: The Ti/Fe bimetallic catalyst developed by ThyssenKrupp increased the cycle life of MgH₂ from 300 to 500 cycles.

Key Progress in April 2025:

China Energy Construction Middle East Green Hydrogen Project: Utilized magnesium-based hydrogen storage tanks to store fluctuating wind and solar power hydrogen production capacity, with a hydrogen storage duration of 72 hours, reducing system costs by 40% compared to liquid hydrogen storage.

Yunhai Metals' 200MWh Annual Production Line: Established a magnesium-based hydrogen storage tank production line in Chizhou, Anhui, employing an integrated ball milling-sintering process, increasing the yield rate to 75%, and applied in the Qinghai integrated photovoltaic-hydrogen-storage project.

Shanghai Magnesium Power Cross-Border Storage and Transportation Solution: Partnered with Mitsui to pilot a "methane steam reforming hydrogen production-magnesium-based storage" trial in Dubai, with a magnesium-based hydrogen storage tank capacity of 10MWh, reducing volume by 60% compared to liquid hydrogen tanks.

2. Core Application Scenarios and Domestic Practices

(1) Industrial Long Duration Energy Storage

NEOM New City Project in Saudi Arabia: China Energy Engineering Corporation provided a 50MWh magnesium-based hydrogen storage system to mitigate the intermittency of wind and solar power generation, reducing the life cycle cost by 40% compared to liquid hydrogen storage.

CATL Rare Earth-Magnesium Composite Hydrogen Storage Material: Developed Mg₂NiH₄/CeO₂ composite material, lowering the hydrogen absorption temperature to 150℃, suitable for heavy-duty trucks on the Ordos coal transportation line, increasing the driving range to 1,000 kilometers.

(2) Island and Off-Grid Hydrogen Supply

Kagoshima Project in Japan: Toray deployed a 5MW electrolyzer + 20MWh magnesium-based hydrogen storage system to achieve off-grid community power supply, reducing the life cycle cost by 25% compared to diesel power generation.

Domestic Adaptation Scenario: Yunhai Metals provided a magnesium-based system for the Qinghai Wind-Solar-Hydrogen Storage Project, storing 48 hours of fluctuating capacity, reducing the cost by 50% compared to liquid hydrogen.

(3) Cross-Border Hydrogen Energy Trade

Middle East-East Asia LNG to Hydrogen Pilot Project: Shanghai Magnesium Power collaborated with Mitsui to transport hydrogen in solid form by sea to East Asia, avoiding the high costs and safety risks of liquid storage and transportation.

III. Comparison of Technical Pathways and Strategies for Collaborative Development

1. Comparison of Performance Parameters

2. Collaborative Application Scenarios and Domestic Practices

(1) Hybrid Hydrogen Storage System

Hydrogen Refueling Station Scenario: The Anting Hydrogen Refueling Station in Shanghai uses rare earth hydrogen storage tanks to handle high-frequency vehicle refueling, while magnesium-based hydrogen storage tanks store low-cost green hydrogen. The combined system reduces costs by 20%.

Microgrid Scenario: Rare earth materials meet instantaneous high power demands (such as during PV power fluctuations), while magnesium-based materials handle hydrogen production and storage during low-cost off-peak electricity periods at night.

(2) Material Modification Technology

Rare Earth-Magnesium Alloy Development: For example, the Mg₂NiH₄ composite material achieves a hydrogen storage density of 3.5wt% and reduces hydrogen absorption temperature to 100℃, currently in the pilot testing phase.

Nano-Coating Process: Coating magnesium particles with rare earth oxides (such as CeO₂) inhibits hydrogen decomposition, increasing cycle life to 800 cycles.

IV. Industrialisation Challenges and Policy Opportunities

1. Technical Bottlenecks and Breakthrough Directions

Rare Earth Series: Fluctuations in light rare earth supply (e.g., lanthanum, cerium) drive up costs, necessitating the development of cobalt/nickel-free systems (e.g., iron-based hydrogen storage alloys).

Magnesium-Based Series: The yield of thousand-mt production lines is less than 60%, requiring breakthroughs in automated ball milling processes and thermal management technologies.

2. Policy and Capital Linkage

Domestic Policies: The Ministry of Finance has included R&D of rare earth-based hydrogen storage materials in the subsidy scope, with a maximum subsidy of 500,000 yuan per vehicle; magnesium-based hydrogen storage systems receive a subsidy of 0.3 yuan/Wh based on ESS capacity.

Capital Deployment: In Q1 2025, domestic financing in the hydrogen energy sector exceeded 20 billion yuan, with the solid-state hydrogen storage track accounting for 35%, focusing on magnesium-based materials (Yunhai Metals, Magnesium Power) and rare earth catalysts (Zhongzi Environmental Protection).

V. Future Outlook: From Dual-Wheel Drive to Global Competition and Cooperation

Short-term (2025-2030): Rare earths dominate transportation and distributed scenarios, while magnesium-based focuses on industrial ESS and cross-border trade.

Medium-term (2030-2035): Rare earth-magnesium alloy materials achieve commercialization, and hybrid hydrogen storage systems become mainstream.

Long-term (post-2035): Solid-state hydrogen storage, liquid hydrogen, and organic liquid hydrogen storage form a multi-technology route competition, driving the entire hydrogen energy chain cost closer to traditional energy.

Core Conclusion: Domestic enterprises, through the dual-wheel drive strategy of "rare earths securing transportation and magnesium-based expanding ESS," have developed full-chain capabilities in materials, system integration, and cross-border trade. In the future, it is necessary to further break through bottlenecks such as thermal management and large-scale manufacturing, promoting the transition of solid-state hydrogen storage technology from the laboratory to large-scale applications, and providing a Chinese solution with both cost and performance advantages for the global hydrogen energy industry.