The scientific research achievement of Guangxi, "Hydrogen Production Technology via Bioethanol Reforming," has been successfully applied to ships.

On July 13, 2025, Yuan Chang'an, Secretary of the Party Committee and President of the Guangxi Academy of Sciences, and Tan Likui, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Guangxi Modern Logistics Group, along with a delegation, conducted an on-site survey in Guilin of the sea trial of the world's first hydrogen-powered vessel using online reforming of bioethanol, named "Daba·Alcohol-Hydrogen Power No. 1". They were accompanied by Yang Haixin, Chairman of Jinshan Gaoke Group, as well as Wei Qiang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman, and Liu Guidong, General Manager, of Guilin Wuzhou Tourism Co., Ltd. They also visited the Green and Intelligent Ship Industry (Guangxi) Engineering and Technology Center, followed by a working symposium. Relevant leaders from Guangxi Environmental Protection Industry Investment Group, Guilin Wuzhou Tourism Co., Ltd., Guilin Yichi Ship Technology Co., Ltd., Jinshan Gaoke Group, and other related entities participated in this survey activity. Relevant responsible comrades from the Science, Technology, and Achievement Transformation Department of the Guangxi Academy of Sciences and High-Tech Group also participated throughout the process.​

The successful sea trial of "Daba·Alcohol-Hydrogen Power No. 1" holds great significance. The vessel adopts an innovative "pure electric + alcohol-hydrogen range extender" power architecture, leveraging the scientific research advantages of the Guangxi Academy of Sciences in fields related to the biohydrogen energy industry, such as non-food biomass technology. Since the launch conference for the scientific research achievement "Online Hydrogen Production Technology from Aqueous Ethanol Reforming and Alcohol-Hydrogen Power System" was held at the Guangxi Academy of Sciences on August 16, 2024, over the past year, through the joint efforts of multiple parties including Wuhan University of Technology, the Guangxi Academy of Sciences, China Hydrogen Energy Industry Holdings Co., Ltd. (a subsidiary of Jinshan Gaoke Group), and Daba Power (Guangxi) Co., Ltd., this achievement has been successfully applied on the Lijiang River.​

This technology achieves efficient catalysis and online immediate reforming of bioethanol for hydrogen production through joint research on "online hydrogen production technology from bioethanol reforming". The resulting hydrogen-mixed fuel gas is directly used for combustion to generate power, forming an application mode of "using hydrogen without seeing it, and without storing or transporting it". This mode effectively avoids the high costs and risks associated with storage, transportation, and refueling in traditional hydrogen energy applications, while ensuring reliable and convenient fuel use with comprehensive cost advantages. The successful sea trial of "Daba·Alcohol-Hydrogen Power No. 1" on the Lijiang River fully validates the maturity, safety, and zero-carbon emission characteristics of this technology in ship power applications. It represents a significant breakthrough in the development of green power for water transportation and also marks the successful transition of the scientific research achievement "Online Hydrogen Production Technology from Aqueous Ethanol Reforming and Alcohol-Hydrogen Power System" released by the Guangxi Academy of Sciences last year from the laboratory to broad application "waters".