[SMM Hydrogen Energy Policy Update] Beijing Launches Application for Key Hydrogen Energy Technology Projects!

Recently, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform issued the Notice on Organizing the Application for the 2025 National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" Key Projects.

The document states that the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform is now initiating the application process for the 2025 National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" Key Projects. Application materials for the projects should be completed and submitted online by July 3, 2025. The Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, as the project recommending unit, will conduct a comprehensive review of the submitted application materials by each applying unit before July 10 and confirm the recommendations.

According to the Notice from the National Energy Administration on Issuing the Application Guidelines for the 2025 National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" and "Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology" Key Projects.

The Notice clarifies the application process for project organization:

1. Applying units should organize their applications in the form of projects based on the research content outlined in the guidelines. Projects should be submitted as a whole, covering all research content and assessment indicators specified in the corresponding guidelines. Each project should have one principal investigator, and each subproject should have one principal investigator. The project principal investigator may serve as the principal investigator for one of the subprojects.

2. Integrate advantageous innovation teams and actively involve female researchers in project R&D. Focus on the tasks outlined in the guidelines, strengthen the coordination and linkage among basic research, common key technology R&D, and typical application demonstration tasks, concentrate efforts, and collaborate on breakthroughs. Encourage capable female researchers to lead and undertake tasks as project (subproject) principal investigators.

3. The key projects under the National Key R&D Program covered by this guideline adopt a one-round application process.

The Notice emphasizes the eligibility requirements for applications:

1. The leading applying unit and participating units for the project should be research institutes, universities, and enterprises registered within the mainland of China, with independent legal person status, registered before May 31, 2024, and possessing strong scientific and technological R&D capabilities and conditions, as well as standardized operational management. State organs are not allowed to lead or participate in the application process.

The leading applying unit, participating units, and project team members should have a good credit record, with no records of serious scientific misconduct under penalty or on the "blacklist" of credit in related social fields during the penalty enforcement period.

An applying unit can only submit an application for the same project through a single recommending unit and is not allowed to submit multiple or duplicate applications.

2. The project (subproject) principal investigator should have a senior professional title or a doctoral degree, be born after January 1, 1965, and devote no less than six months per year to the project.

3. In principle, the project (subproject) principal investigator should be the one who proposes the main research ideas for the project (subproject) and is the actual leading researcher in the scientific and technological work. Public servants of central and local state organs at all levels (including other personnel exercising functions in the management of science and technology plans) are not allowed to apply for projects (topics).

4. Experts who have participated in the formulation of implementation plans for key special projects or the annual project guidelines are, in principle, not allowed to apply for projects (topics) under the same key special projects.

  The full text is as follows:

Notice from the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission on Organizing the Application for the 2025 Annual Projects of the National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" Key Special Project

Relevant units in the city, development and reform departments of all districts:

Our commission has received the "Notice from the National Energy Administration on Issuing the 2025 Annual Project Application Guidelines for the National Key R&D Program 'Hydrogen Energy Technology' and 'Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology' Key Special Projects" (Guoneng Fakeji [2025] No. 49, see attachment). We are now initiating the application process for the 2025 annual projects of the National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" Key Special Project. All units are requested to organize relevant project parties to submit their applications online through the National Science and Technology Management Information System Public Service Platform (https://service.most.gov.cn) in accordance with the guidelines. The project application materials and attachments should be filled out completely according to the format requirements. All required attachments should be uploaded as electronic scanned copies, and the online submission should be completed by July 3, 2025. Our commission, as the project recommending unit, will conduct a review of the application materials submitted by the applicants one by one and confirm the recommendations before July 10.

Any violations of discipline or law during the project application process will result in the rejection of the application for review, and relevant problem clues will be transferred to relevant departments for handling in accordance with regulations.

This notice is hereby given.

Attachment: "Notice from the National Energy Administration on Issuing the 2025 Annual Project Application Guidelines for the National Key R&D Program 'Hydrogen Energy Technology' and 'Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology' Key Special Projects" (Guoneng Fakeji [2025] No. 49)

Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission

June 17, 2025

(Contact person: Teacher Jiang from the Energy Division; Contact number: 55590577)

Notice from the National Energy Administration on Issuing the 2025 Annual Project Application Guidelines for the National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" and "Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology" Key Special Projects

Energy administrations of all provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government), development and reform commissions, science and technology departments (commissions, bureaus) of relevant provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, relevant departments of the State Council, and all relevant units:

In accordance with the relevant institutional requirements of the "Interim Measures for the Management of the National Key R&D Program" and the "Implementation Rules for the Management of Key Special Projects of the National Key R&D Program Under the Primary Responsibility of the National Energy Administration (Trial)", the 2025 annual project application guidelines for the National Key R&D Program "Hydrogen Energy Technology" and "Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology" Key Special Projects (hereinafter referred to as key special projects) are hereby announced. Please organize project applications in accordance with the guidelines. The relevant matters are notified as follows.

I. Workflow for Project Organization and Application

(1) The applying entity shall organize the application in the form of a project based on the research content outlined in the support direction of the guidelines. The project shall be applied for as a whole, covering all the research content and assessment indicators of the corresponding guideline direction. Each project shall have one principal investigator, and each subproject shall have one principal investigator. The project principal investigator may serve as the principal investigator of one subproject.

(2) Integrate advantageous innovation teams, actively involve female researchers in project R&D, focus on the tasks outlined in the guidelines, strengthen the coordination and linkage among basic research, the development of generic and key technologies, and typical application demonstrations, concentrate efforts, and collaborate on tackling key problems. Encourage capable female researchers to take the lead as project (subproject) principal investigators.

(3) For the key special projects under the National Key R&D Program covered by these guidelines, a one-round application procedure is adopted. The specific workflow for project application and evaluation is as follows.

1. Project Application. The applying entity shall submit the project application materials (including the budget statement) through the Public Service Platform of the National Science and Technology Management Information System (http://service.most.gov.cn, hereinafter referred to as the "NSTMIS") in one go, based on the relevant application requirements outlined in the guidelines. The application materials shall elaborate on the objectives and indicators, innovative ideas, technical routes, and research foundation of the applied project (for detailed requirements on the application materials, please refer to the instructions on the NSTMIS). There shall be no less than 50 days from the date of the guidelines' release to the deadline for accepting application materials.

The application materials shall include relevant agreements and commitments. The leading applying entity of the project shall sign a joint application agreement with all participating entities, specifying the time of agreement signing. The leading applying entity of the project, the applying entities of the subprojects, the project principal investigator, and the subproject principal investigators shall sign integrity commitment letters. The leading applying entity of the project and all participating entities shall implement the requirements of the "Several Opinions on Further Strengthening the Construction of Scientific Research Integrity" and the "Several Opinions on Further Promoting the Spirit of Scientists and Strengthening the Construction of Work Style and Academic Style," strengthen the review and control of application materials, eliminate exaggeration and falsehood, and strictly prohibit fraud.

The application materials shall be recommended by relevant entities. Each recommending entity shall strengthen the review and control of the recommended project application materials and submit the recommended projects through the NSTMIS in a unified manner on time.

2. The professional institution shall accept the project application materials. The professional institution shall conduct a formal review of the accepted application materials. To ensure a reasonable level of competition, for a single guideline direction, if the number of applying teams is not higher than the number of projects to be supported, the subsequent project evaluation and approval procedures for this guideline direction shall not be initiated. If the number of applying teams is 3-4 times higher than the number of projects to be supported, the professional institution may conduct the first round of evaluation based on the application situation and select applying teams that are 3-4 times the number of projects to be supported to enter the defense evaluation. If the number of applicant teams is less than three to four times the number of projects proposed for support, the professional institution may skip the initial review round and proceed directly to the defense review.

3. The professional institution shall organize the defense review, formulate recommendations for projects to be initiated based on expert evaluations, and, after review by the National Energy Administration, organize the completion of the project initiation procedures. For guideline directions proposing support for 1-2 projects, in principle, only one project will be supported. However, if the top two evaluated projects have similar results but significantly different technical approaches, both may be supported simultaneously, and a dynamic adjustment mechanism will be established. Key period assessments will be conducted in conjunction with process management, and subsequent support methods will be determined based on the assessment results.

II. Recommending Entities for Organizing Applications

(1) Science and technology departments under relevant departments of the State Council;

(2) Energy bureaus of provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government), development and reform commissions, and science and technology departments (commissions, bureaus) of relevant provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government) and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps;

(3) Industry associations established through the restructuring of former industrial departments;

(4) Industrial technology innovation alliances included in the pilot scope of the Ministry of Science and Technology and assessed as Category A, as well as industry pilot alliances for innovative development of science and technology services launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance.

Each recommending entity shall make recommendations within its functional and operational scope and be responsible for the authenticity of the recommended projects. The list of recommending entities will be publicly released on the National Science and Technology Management Information System.

III. Application Eligibility Requirements

(1) The leading applicant entity and participating entities for a project shall be scientific research institutes, institutions of higher education, enterprises, etc., registered within the mainland of China, with independent legal person status, registered before May 31, 2024, and possessing strong R&D capabilities and conditions, as well as standardized operational management. State organs are not permitted to lead or participate in applications.

The leading applicant entity, participating entities, and project team members shall have a good credit status, with no records of serious scientific research misconduct under penalty or on the "blacklist" of credit in related social fields during the penalty enforcement period.

An applicant entity may only submit one project through a single recommending entity and is not allowed to submit the same project through multiple recommending entities or make duplicate submissions.

(2) The project (task) leader must hold a senior professional title or a doctoral degree, be born after January 1, 1965, and devote no less than six months per year to the project.

(3) The project (task) leader shall, in principle, be the individual who proposed the main research ideas for the project (task) and the scientific and technological personnel actually leading the research. Civil servants of central and local state organs at all levels (including other personnel performing functions related to science and technology program management) are not permitted to apply for projects (tasks).

4. Experts who participate in the formulation of implementation plans for key special projects or the preparation of project guidelines for the current year are, in principle, not eligible to apply for projects (topics) under these key special projects.

5. Foreign scientists employed by mainland institutions and scientists from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan may serve as project (topic) leaders. Full-time employed personnel must provide valid documentation of full-time employment from the mainland employing institution, while part-time employed personnel must provide valid employment documentation from both institutions involved, which shall be submitted together with the project pre-application materials.

6. Once a project application is accepted, the applying institution and the project leader cannot be changed in principle.

7. For detailed requirements on project application duplication checks, please refer to Annex 1. Before formally submitting the project application, each applying institution may use the National Science and Technology Management System to inquire about the ongoing projects undertaken by relevant researchers in national key science and technology projects, national key R&D program key special projects, etc., to avoid duplicate applications.

8. For specific application requirements, please refer to each application guideline. If there are special provisions, those provisions shall prevail.

IV. Specific Application Methods

1. Online submission. All applying institutions are requested to complete the online submission through the National Science and Technology Management System as required, and fill in the project application materials and annexes in full accordance with the format requirements. The professional institutions will use the online submitted application materials as the basis for subsequent formal review and project evaluation. All annex materials required in the application materials shall be uploaded as electronic scanned copies.

The acceptance period for online submission of application materials by project applying institutions is from 8:00 on May 30, 2025, to 16:00 on July 10, 2025.

2. Organizational recommendation. All recommending institutions are requested to confirm each recommended project through the National Science and Technology Management System by 16:00 on July 14, 2025, and upload the recommendation letter with the official seal of the recommending institution as an electronic scanned copy.

3. Technical consultation hotline and email:

010-58882999 (switchboard), program@istic.ac.cn

4. Business consultation hotline:

Key special project on "Hydrogen Energy Technology": 010-68104408

Key special project on "Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology": 010-68207731, 68207706

Annexes:

1. Requirements for the formal review of project applications for the 2025 key special projects on "Hydrogen Energy Technology" and "Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology" under the National Key R&D Program

2. Project application guidelines for the 2025 key special project on "Hydrogen Energy Technology" under the National Key R&D Program

3. Project application guidelines for the 2025 key special project on "Energy Storage and Smart Power Grid Technology" under the National Key R&D Program

National Energy Administration

May 20, 2025

Source: Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform