China Energy Engineering Group Makes Significant Progress in Key Technologies and Core Equipment for Hydrogen Energy

On June 6, China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd. organized and held the acceptance and review meeting for the major science and technology project "Research on Key Technologies and Core Equipment for Hydrogen Energy" of China Energy Engineering Group.

The project focused on the entire industry chain of hydrogen energy, covering "production, storage, transportation, refueling, and utilization," and conducted research on key technologies and core equipment. The demonstration applications of the project's achievements have reached internationally leading levels, guiding the healthy and smooth development of China's hydrogen energy industry. The review experts came from well-known domestic scientific research institutions and related units of top-tier enterprises in the hydrogen energy industry. The meeting was chaired by Pei Aiguo, General Manager of the Science, Information, and Equipment Department of China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd. Li Jingguang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of China Energy Engineering Hydrogen Energy Co., Ltd., the leading unit of the project, attended the meeting.

The project focused on core technologies in the hydrogen energy industry chain, including electrolytic hydrogen production, hydrogen purification, hydrogen liquefaction, green hydrogen-based ammonia synthesis, hydrogen refueling stations, and business models. It proposed systematic solutions and conducted demonstration applications for key scenarios such as electrolytic water-splitting equipment for fluctuating renewable energy, battery-grade lithium hydroxide coupling control, green hydrogen-based ammonia synthesis, and hydrogen refueling stations. It supported the construction of the world's largest Songyuan Green Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol Project, created a model for green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol energy construction, set a benchmark for the hydrogen energy industry, and led the development of the hydrogen energy industry.

Technological breakthroughs were achieved in multiple aspects:

Electrolytic hydrogen production: A 1000Nm³/h alkaline electrolyzer was independently developed, and an automated production line for 1000Nm³/h alkaline electrolyzers was established. The resulting equipment has been applied in the Zhongneng Green Electricity Zhangye Hydrogen Energy Project and the Songyuan Green Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol Integrated Demonstration Project, gaining widespread market recognition. Supply contracts worth tens of millions of yuan for electrolyzers have been signed, achieving the goal of seamless transition from scientific and technological R&D to achievement transformation.

By-product hydrogen purification: A 1400Nm³/h PSA industrial by-product hydrogen purification process technology was developed. This technology has been applied in the Jiangmen City 81,000 mt/year caustic soda relocation project, achieving a hydrogen purity of 99.999%. It has opened up a route for industrial by-product hydrogen purification, providing technical support for the design, investment, construction, and operation of by-product hydrogen projects of China Energy Engineering Group.

Hydrogen liquefaction: A 1t/d hydrogen liquefaction process engineering plan was formulated, with the para-hydrogen molar content of liquid hydrogen products exceeding 98%, comparable to the energy consumption levels and para-hydrogen content of mainstream international products.

Flexible ammonia synthesis: A "process-equipment-intelligent control" trinity solution for hydrogen purification and green ammonia synthesis was constructed, significantly reducing industrial carbon emissions. A 100,000 mt/year renewable energy electrolytic hydrogen-based ammonia synthesis technology was developed and applied in the China Energy Engineering Shule County 1 million mt hydrogen-based chemical base project.

Integrated hydrogen production and refueling stations: A design plan for 1000kg/d, 70MPa-class integrated hydrogen production and refueling stations was formulated. Simulation software for hydrogen refueling station operation and optimization scheduling software for integrated new energy hydrogen production and refueling stations were developed. Relevant achievements have been applied in the Jingneng Chagannur "Wind, Solar, Thermal, Storage, and Hydrogen" Integrated Demonstration Project.

Additionally, the project systematically studied the business models and investment opportunities across the entire industry chain of hydrogen energy production, storage, transportation, and utilization. It proposed a new market development strategy ("3316N") and a business development strategy of "seizing resources to reduce costs and increase efficiency in upstream hydrogen production, deeply involving in and iterating technologies in midstream storage and transportation, and comprehensively planning layouts to expand the market in downstream applications." This has formed a hydrogen energy business model across the entire industry chain with CEEC's characteristics. The CEEC Songyuan Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park (Green Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Alcohol Integration) project was selected as a demonstration project for green and low-carbon advanced technologies by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in 2024. One monograph titled "Research on the Development Status and Pathways of Renewable Energy-Based Hydrogen Production" was published.

At the acceptance and evaluation meeting, the expert panel highly praised the work completed, unanimously agreeing that the project had fulfilled the contents specified in the task book and that the assessment indicators met the requirements of the task book. The demonstration application of the project's achievements had reached an internationally leading level. Meanwhile, it was believed that the project had strengthened the technological iteration and updating in the hydrogen energy field, consolidated the industry's leading position, and provided strong support for building a demonstration benchmark across the entire industry chain and for the development of CEEC's hydrogen energy industry.

Liu Dairong, Deputy General Manager of CEEC Hydrogen Energy Co., Ltd., the leading unit of the project, reported on the project's progress and related achievements on behalf of the project team. Over 20 members of the project team attended the meeting.

Taking this acceptance and evaluation meeting as an opportunity, the hydrogen energy company will firmly grasp the window period for the development of the national hydrogen energy industry and promote industrial innovation through technological innovation.

In response to the strategic deployments of the national "15th Five-Year Plan" for "building a new-type energy system" and "tackling key green and low-carbon technologies," the hydrogen energy company will fully align with the development needs of the hydrogen energy industry's leapfrog growth. It will focus on three main lines: "large-scale green hydrogen production, independent storage and transportation technologies, and diversified application scenarios," accelerating the race to occupy the commanding heights of global hydrogen energy technology.