[SMM Hydrogen Policy Update] Hubei Provincial Energy Bureau: Notice on Promoting the Construction of New Energy Power Generation Projects

Policy Release: On October 28, the Hubei Provincial Energy Bureau issued the "Notice on Promoting New Energy Power Generation Project Construction," further clarifying the development direction and application rules for new energy projects in 2025, with a particular emphasis on the coordinated development of hydrogen and new energy.

I. Scope and Scale Limitations for Project Applications

The applications cover five major categories of projects, with each project's scale not exceeding 100,000 kW:

1. Million-kilowatt new energy base projects;
2. Coal power and new energy integration projects;
3. Wind, solar, water, and storage integrated projects;
4. Energy strategic emerging industry reward projects (in line with Hubei Province's Hydrogen Industry Action Plan, innovative platforms, and technology breakthrough projects related to hydrogen can be included in this category, enjoying up to 10 million yuan in construction subsidies or 5 million yuan in R&D subsidies);
5. Other new energy projects.

Projects not listed in the 2025 annual development plan will be arranged in subsequent years, while wind farm upgrade projects will be implemented separately according to national regulations.

II. Core Scoring Dimensions for Competitive Ranking

To optimize project layout, the Notice establishes a multi-dimensional competitive ranking rule, focusing on four key indicators:

1. Absorption Potential: Prioritizing projects in counties and cities with strong grid absorption capacity to reduce the risk of curtailment of wind and PV power generation;
2. Storage Accompaniment: Linked to the proportion of ESS in new energy installations in the respective county or city, enhancing the stability of new energy output;
3. Regulation Capability: Assessing the contribution of the project owner in load regulation and grid coordination;
4. Transmission Assurance: Evaluating the construction conditions of transmission channels for project grid connection, ensuring efficient power delivery.

III. Hydrogen - New Energy Synergistic Innovation Policy

As a highlight of this notice, electrolysis water hydrogen production projects are directly linked to new energy projects: Electrolysis water hydrogen production projects that have completed equipment debugging and are ready for hydrogen production can apply for new energy quotas at a ratio of "50 MW of new energy projects per 1000 Nm³/h hydrogen production capacity."

This policy aligns with Hubei Province's "Action Plan for Accelerating the Development of the Hydrogen Industry (2024-2027)," promoting an integrated configuration of "green electricity + green hydrogen." This not only provides stable, low-cost energy supply for hydrogen production projects but also opens new paths for new energy absorption, contributing to the full-chain development goal of "production, storage, transmission, and utilization."

IV. Policy Significance and Impact

This Notice, by clarifying application rules and synergistic mechanisms, will drive the transformation of Hubei's new energy development from "scale expansion" to "quality and efficiency": On one hand, requirements for storage accompaniment and absorption assurance push projects to improve their technical level and economic viability; on the other hand, the binding policy between hydrogen and new energy will accelerate the scaling process of the green hydrogen industry, providing critical support for Hubei to build a national hydrogen industry cluster. It also offers replicable regional practical experience for energy structure transformation under the "dual carbon" goals.

The following is the original text

Notice on Promoting New Energy Power Generation Project Construction by the Hubei Provincial Energy Bureau

EnerNew [2025] No. 50

　　To the Development and Reform Commissions (Energy Bureaus) of all prefecture-level cities, state-administered cities, and Shennongjia Forestry District, State Grid Hubei Electric Power Co., Ltd., and relevant project units:

　　2025 marks the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the planning year for the 15th Five-Year Plan. To implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping's video address at the United Nations Climate Change Summit, and to follow the provincial Party committee and government's decisions and deployments for pivotal construction, we will carry out the action to double the installed capacity of new energy, strengthen the development and utilization of wind and solar power resources, and strongly support the realization of "affordable and reliable electricity services." We aim to fulfill the national renewable energy consumption responsibility weight targets. The following notice is issued regarding the promotion of new energy power generation project construction.

　　I. Application Scope

　　(i) National and provincial pilot demonstration projects. Counties across the province that have conducted resource surveys, project planning, and selection of development entities for enhanced utilization of wind and solar power resources and achieved phased results may apply for new energy power generation projects with a capacity of no more than 100,000 kW. Rural energy revolution pilot counties that have achieved phased results and met the dispatch requirements of the National Energy Administration may apply for continued new energy power generation projects according to the pilot plan. Projects meeting the requirements of national major science and technology special construction can apply for new energy power generation projects as required.

　　(ii) Million-kilowatt new energy base projects. For the first phase of the ten planned million-kilowatt wind, solar, thermal, and storage new energy bases, if all projects are completed and the second phase has started, they can apply for continued new energy power generation projects within the million-kilowatt planning target.

　　(iii) Coal power and new energy integration projects. In accordance with national policies on coal power and new energy integration, for peak-shaving coal power plants that have completed flexibility renovations and newly commissioned ones, they can apply for new energy power generation projects at twice the actual additional peak-shaving capacity (minus the already allocated scale). For newly constructed peak-shaving coal power plants where the main part of the project has started, they can apply for new energy power generation projects at the designed additional peak-shaving capacity (minus the already allocated scale).

　　(iv) Wind, solar, water, and storage integrated projects. For pumped storage projects that have been approved and started, if the main part of the project has started and there is no accompanying new energy construction scale, they can apply for new energy power generation projects with a capacity of no more than 10% of the pumped storage capacity. If more than half of the investment has been made (as verified by statistical data), they can apply for new energy power generation projects with a capacity of no more than 50% of the pumped storage capacity (minus the already allocated scale).

　　(v) Energy strategic emerging industry reward projects. Provincial new-type energy storage demonstration projects that achieve full-capacity grid connection by the end of June 2025 can apply for new energy power generation projects with a capacity of no more than five times the ESS power station capacity (minus the already allocated scale).Electrolysis water hydrogen production projects that have completed equipment debugging and are ready for hydrogen production can apply for new energy power generation projects at a ratio of 50 MW of new energy projects per 1000 Nm³/h hydrogen production capacity.

　　(vi) Other projects. Various ownership enterprises are supported to participate in the development of wind and solar power resources. Enterprises that have signed new energy power generation project investment agreements with county-level or higher governments and are not within the scope of the aforementioned 1-5 categories can apply for this category. In principle, each county (city, district) can apply for no more than one project.

　　The individual application scale for the above projects should not exceed 100,000 kW. Projects not included in the 2025 annual development and construction scale will be arranged in subsequent years. Wind farm upgrade projects will be implemented according to national regulations.

　　II. Application Conditions

　　(i) Investment Entity. For wind and solar power resource utilization pilot counties and national rural energy revolution pilot counties, the investment entity is selected by the pilot county. Cities, prefectures, and counties where the million-kilowatt wind, solar, thermal, and storage new energy bases are located should strengthen resource coordination, giving priority to base continuation projects. For coal power and new energy integration projects, wind-solar-water integrated projects, and energy strategic emerging industry reward projects, the investment entity is the project owner or the controlling party of the project owner. All investment entities must have signed new energy power generation project investment agreements with county-level or higher governments.

　　(ii) Land Use Conditions. New energy power generation projects must comply with national land use control policies and ecological protection policies, avoiding sensitive areas such as farmland, ecological red lines, nature reserves, water source protection zones, cultural relic protection sites, and military restricted areas. Photovoltaic projects must obtain compliance review opinions from local natural resources, agriculture and rural affairs, forestry, water conservancy, ecological environment, cultural relic protection, and military departments. Wind power projects must obtain supportive opinions on land use from local natural resources departments. For projects using non-state-owned construction land, the project owner must have signed a transfer (lease) intention agreement with the land ownership unit (or individual).

　　(iii) Project Filing. After determining the construction site, photovoltaic projects must obtain a filing certificate, and wind power projects must obtain a code. The filing content (including the investment entity, construction scale, and location) must be entirely consistent with the compliance review opinions.

　　(iv) Grid Connection Plan. New energy power generation projects must have developed a system access design plan, specifying the substation to be connected, the voltage level, and the distance of the transmission project. The use of existing transmission channels for expansion and continuation projects is encouraged.

　　III. Work Process

　　(i) Owner Application. Owners who meet the requirements of this notice, after determining specific projects, must submit a written application to the Provincial Energy Bureau by November 10 to be included in the 2025 annual new energy development and construction scale. Project information and relevant supporting documents must be uploaded to the Hubei New Energy Project Management Platform (hereinafter referred to as the "Management Platform").

　　(ii) Hierarchical Review. Municipal and county energy authorities will conduct hierarchical reviews of the projects, focusing on whether the applying entities meet the eligibility criteria and whether the supporting documents are complete and valid. By November 14, projects that meet the requirements will be pushed to the Provincial Energy Bureau through the Management Platform.

　　(iii) Scoring and Ranking. The Provincial Energy Bureau, guided by absorption, will organize scoring and ranking of the reviewed projects according to the new energy power generation project competition ranking rules (see attachment). Strengthened wind and solar power resource utilization pilot projects do not participate in the scoring and ranking.

　　(iv) Grid Connection Verification. The provincial power company will conduct grid connection verification based on the project ranking results and provide feedback within 40 working days.

　　(v) Confirmation and Announcement. For projects that meet the grid connection conditions, the Provincial Energy Bureau will announce the list of projects.

　　IV. Work Requirements

　　(i) Optimize the Investment Environment. Localities must consolidate the results of the special rectification of improper market interventions in the new energy development field, continuously optimizing the market environment, and must not force new energy development and construction units to accompany industries or build storage.

　　(ii) Provide Good Grid Connection Services. Grid companies should guide localities and project units to optimize project layouts, prioritizing projects with better grid connection and absorption conditions. For regions currently facing connection difficulties, grid companies should coordinate the grid connection needs of new energy projects and grid construction, rolling them into subsequent years. In areas with high new energy ratios and limited grid absorption, the voluntary construction of new-type energy storage on the power source side and grid side is encouraged.

　　(iii) Implement Projects Well. After the announcement of the project list, investment and development enterprises must expedite pre-construction procedures, report monthly on project investment completion and progress, ensuring construction safety and quality.

　　(iv) Ensure Policy Continuity. For project units that did not apply or did not pass the grid connection verification for the 2024 annual policy-based allocation construction scale, they can reapply for new energy projects according to this notice; for those not within the scope of this notice, continue to follow the original notice, and after obtaining the grid connection verification opinion from the provincial power company, include them in the corresponding annual new energy development and construction plan.

　　(v) Include in the Credit System. Each investment entity is responsible for the authenticity and legal compliance of the project application materials. Entities found to have engaged in fraudulent behavior will be notified, interviewed, or included in the list of untrustworthy entities upon verification.

　　Attachment:

Hubei Provincial Energy Bureau
October 22, 2025