I. Policy Review: Hydrogen Policy Developments
(I) Domestic Policies
National Energy Administration:Issued the "Notice on the Establishment of Seven Standardization Technical Organizations, Including the Energy Industry Electric Power Safety Governance Standardization Technical Committee." The document states: Approval is granted to establish four standardization technical organizations in the hydrogen energy field—namely, the Energy Industry Hydrogen Energy Fundamentals and General Standardization Technical Committee, the Energy Industry Hydrogen Energy Production Standardization Technical Committee, the Energy Industry Hydrogen Energy Storage and Transportation Standardization Technical Committee, and the Energy Industry Hydrogen Energy Application Standardization Technical Committee. Their codes, scope of responsibilities, secretariat undertaking units, and committee member lists are detailed in the appendix. Relevant management agencies and the newly established hydrogen energy standardization technical committees are required to advance the construction of the hydrogen energy standard system in accordance with regulations, strictly carry out the development and revision of standards, avoid overlapping and duplication of standards, and ensure the coordination and unity of the system. Multiple forces should be organized to integrally promote technological innovation, engineering demonstration, and standardization in the hydrogen energy field, strengthen the full life cycle management of standards, promote the effective implementation and dissemination of standards, and support the building of a strong energy nation.
State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council:Released the "Catalog of Scientific and Technological Innovation Achievements of Central State-Owned Enterprises: Achievement Manual (2024 Edition)." The document states: The manual includes 208 achievements from 67 central state-owned enterprises, covering seven major fields. Among them, five key technological achievements in the hydrogen energy field are selected, specifically including megawatt-scale iridium oxide catalyst for PEM electrolysis hydrogen production equipment, one-step green hydrogen production process and equipment from biomass biogas, hydrogen flow control valve assembly for hydrogen fuel cells, integrated mobile hydrogen quality analyzer for fuel cells, and a 70 MPa hydrogen precooler for hydrogen refueling stations. By publishing introductions and main indicators of these hydrogen energy achievements, the manual aims to promote the application, dissemination, and iterative upgrading of outstanding innovation achievements in the hydrogen energy field, and to accelerate the transformation of hydrogen energy scientific and technological achievements into real productive forces.
Hunan Provincial Development and Reform Commission:Issued the "Implementation Opinions on Promoting the Integrated Development of Transportation and Energy in Hunan Province." The "Opinions" clearly plan: By 2027, the layout of charging and battery swapping facilities for highways and waterways will be continuously optimized and improved, while a hydrogen supply system that meets the energy standards for transportation equipment will be initially established. Regarding the target for 2023, it is to significantly enhance the charging and battery swapping service capacity of highways, fully complete the layout and construction of LNG refueling stations, and achieve the full-line connection of the three hydrogen energy demonstration corridors along the Beijing-Guangzhou, Shanghai-Kunming, and Xu-Guang routes.
(II) Overseas Developments
CF Industries:Hydrogen and nitrogen products manufacturer CF Industries announced that it is supplying low-carbon hydrogen-based fertilizers to Poet for growing corn that will be converted into biofuels. The company stated that it has collaborated with Poet and major agricultural cooperatives to demonstrate how low-carbon fertilizers can reduce the carbon intensity of corn and contribute to the production of low-carbon ethanol.
CatAmmon:Israeli deep-tech startup CatAmmon is developing proprietary ceramic-based catalyst technology for hydrogen production through ammonia cracking and ammonia synthesis. The company's ammonia cracking catalyst can convert ammonia into hydrogen at low temperatures of approximately 350–400°C, significantly lower than the operating temperatures of traditional nickel-based systems, while completely avoiding the use of rare or precious metals such as ruthenium. Its ceramic formulation is designed to address the cost and supply chain limitations of conventional cracking technologies. The company is expected to begin commercial sales in 2027 and achieve profitability by 2028.
Daimler Truck Holding AG: unveiled its new Mercedes-Benz truck powered by a liquid hydrogen fuel cell and plans to initiate small-scale production by the end of this year. The truck utilizes the Cellcentric BZA150 fuel cell system on the GenH2 platform, with the previous model consuming between 5.6 and 8.0 kg of hydrogen per 100 km during initial tests.
II. Enterprise Developments: Project Signings and Technical Cooperation
(I) Project Intelligence
Chongqing State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission:hosted the inauguration ceremony of the Chongqing Hydrogen Industry Ecological Alliance and the promotion meeting for the construction of the Sichuan-Chongqing Hydrogen Corridor. During the event, the list of hydrogen industry projects and scenario opportunities for Chongqing's state-owned enterprises was officially released. In terms of hydrogen production, Chongqing Chemical and Pharmaceutical Group will partner with relevant enterprises to establish high-purity hydrogen purification facilities with an annual output of approximately 2,700 mt in Tongnan District and Changshou District. For the storage, transportation, and refueling segments, Chongqing Mechanical and Electrical Group will collaborate with related enterprises to focus on the development of high-end technology and R&D equipment, aiming to overcome key technical challenges such as organic liquid hydrogen storage and magnesium-based solid-state hydrogen storage. In the application of hydrogen, Qingling Group will join forces with relevant enterprises to plan the deployment of 1,500 hydrogen-powered heavy trucks and 650 hydrogen-powered light trucks in regions including Sichuan and Chongqing, Xinjiang, and Hubei.
Shaanxi Hydrogen Energy Twin-Wing Technology Co., Ltd.:The procurement project for the charging, battery swapping, and ESS facilities of the Jinlian Road Hydrogen Refueling Station project has announced the preferred bidders. Specific details are as follows: The top-ranked preferred bidder is Sichuan Zhili Smart Energy Technology Co., Ltd., whose consortium members include Tianyi Yunchu (Shandong) New Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd. and Shaanxi Qiyao Construction Engineering Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 3.4282 million yuan. The second-ranked preferred bidder is Guodian Nanrui Nanjing Control System Co., Ltd., with Shaanxi Jiuda Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. as its consortium member, and a bid price of 3.2242 million yuan. The third-ranked winning candidate is Guangdong Infineon Engineering Technology Co., Ltd., whose consortium members include Nengyixing (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Infineon Technology Co., Ltd., with a bid price of 3.61 million yuan.
Guangdong Mingnuo Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.:The Mingnuo Hydrogen Product Launch and Project Cooperation Signing Ceremony was grandly held at Guangdong Mingnuo Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. in Cuiheng New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong Province. Mingnuo Hydrogen Energy is a joint venture established by Mingyang Electric and Germany’s Neuman & Esser Group. The TKH liquid-drive compressor officially launched this time employs German Hofer high-pressure compression technology.
Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group Co., Ltd.:The project “Development and Application of Large-Capacity Safe and Efficient High-Pressure Hydrogen Storage Vessels,” led by Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group Co., Ltd., passed its acceptance review smoothly. Participants included Shanghai Hydrogen Maple Energy Technology Co., Ltd. and CNNC Equipment Technology Research (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The project carried out R&D and design of a large-scale, safe and efficient hydrogen storage system through a low-cost hydrogen storage solution for large-scale hydrogen production in renewable energy scenarios.
Shaanxi Hydrogen Luyuan Company: The hydrogen refueling station grid-structure lifting operation for the Yulin Zero-Carbon Industrial Park Hydrogen (Production) Demonstration Project officially started.
Guangdong Yuntao Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.:The nation’s first “all-business-form” integrated energy station—Shatinggang Integrated Energy Station—was officially completed in Taihe Town, Baiyun District, Guangzhou. Jointly built by Baiyun Investment Group, Yuntao Hydrogen Energy, and Baiyun New Energy, the project covers a total land area of more than 11,000 m² and a total floor area of more than 7,300 m², with a daily hydrogen refueling capacity of 1,000 kg.
Foshan Xianhu Laboratory: The launch meeting and implementation-plan review meeting for the National Key R&D Program “Hydrogen Technology” project “Key Technology R&D and Engineering Demonstration of Zero-Carbon Efficient Combustion with Pure Ammonia Feed in Building Materials Industrial Kilns” were held at Foshan Xianhu Laboratory. The project is led by Foshan Xianhu Laboratory and undertaken jointly with Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Monalisa Group Co., Ltd., Fuzhou University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University of Technology, and the Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
(II) Corporate Developments
Wuxi Lead Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.:The company disclosed its post-hearing prospectus on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, marking another application after its previous submission failure on 25 February 2025. It is reported that Lead Intelligent was successfully listed on the A-share market as early as 18 May 2015, and by the market close on 23 January 2025 its total market capitalization had exceeded 98.9 billion yuan.
Zhongji Sikan Hydrogen Energy Development (Hebei) Co., Ltd.: officially announced that the country's first 20-foot Type IV hydrogen cylinder MEGC (module container) has successfully rolled off the production line. This product adopts a Type IV all-composite material cylinder design, creating a new-type load-bearing structure of "non-metallic liner + composite material layer," which achieves extreme lightweighting while significantly enhancing pressure-bearing capacity and structural stability. Its working pressure is as high as 38 MPa, and the hydrogen loading capacity of a 40-foot standard container can exceed 1 mt.
Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Group Co., Ltd.: at its 2026 Global Partners Conference, Yuchai launched its new hydrogen production equipment, the 250 kW PEM electrolysis hydrogen production system. It is reported that the system's overall energy conversion efficiency can reach over 80%, with a load regulation range of 10-20%, an operating pressure of 0.2-1.6 MPa, and a hydrogen output purity of up to 99.999%, with zero hydrogen loss during the regeneration process.
Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group Co., Ltd.: held discussions and exchanges with the China Special Equipment Inspection and Research Institute. Both sides engaged in in-depth and practical exchanges on deepening strategic coordination in the hydrogen energy field and injecting national-level technology and resource momentum into the high-quality development of the regional hydrogen energy industry.
Shanxi Meijin Energy Co., Ltd.: released its 2025 performance forecast. The report indicates that the estimated net profit attributable to shareholders is expected to incur a loss of 850 million to 1.25 billion yuan, compared to a loss of 1.143 billion yuan in the same period last year; the estimated non-recurring net profit loss is 885 million to 1.285 billion yuan, compared to a loss of 1.093 billion yuan in the same period last year; and the basic earnings per share loss is expected to be 0.19 to 0.28 yuan per share.
Guohong Hydrogen Energy Technology (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd.: according to the "Consumption Restriction Order" issued by the Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court, consumption restrictions have been imposed on Guohong Hydrogen Energy Technology (Jiaxing) Co., Ltd., prohibiting the company and its legal representative, Liu Yan, from engaging in high-consumption and non-essential consumption for life and work. The applicant is Shijiatoubo Clean Power Rugao Co., Ltd., with the involved amount being 2,069,202.88 yuan, and this case is a sales contract dispute.
Beijing Yihuatong Technology Co., Ltd.: a delegation including Martin Kylau, Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in China, and Yang Dajun, Senior Vice President of Topsoe and President of China, visited Yihuatong's Zhangjiakou production site for a field trip and exchange.
Anhui Mingtian Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.: 20 hydrogen energy buses were delivered to Lu'an City, Anhui province. Currently, the hydrogen energy bus ownership in Lu'an City has reached 70 units.
III. Technological Advancements: Efficiency and Cost Breakthroughs
(A) Hydrogen Production, Storage, and Transportation
CatAmmon:Israeli deep-tech startup CatAmmon is developing proprietary ceramic-based catalyst technology for ammonia cracking to produce hydrogen and for ammonia synthesis. The company's ammonia cracking catalyst can convert ammonia into hydrogen at low temperatures of approximately 350–400°C, significantly lower than the operating temperatures of traditional nickel-based systems, while completely avoiding the use of rare or precious metals such as ruthenium. Its ceramic formulation is designed to address the cost and supply chain limitations faced by conventional cracking technologies. The company expects to begin commercial sales in 2027 and achieve profitability in 2028.
CIMC ENRIC:A 38.7 m³ Type II tube bundle container project product, developed by its Shijiazhuang Enric Gas Machinery Co., Ltd., has successfully rolled off the production line.
Chinese Academy of Sciences:A new technology for shotcreting ultra-high performance concrete (SUHPC), jointly developed by CCCC Second Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd. and the Wuhan Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been successfully applied in the initial tunnel support engineering for China's first rock cavern hydrogen energy storage system project—the Daye Rock Cavern Hydrogen Energy Storage System in Hubei.
Foshan Xianhu Laboratory:The industry's first "zero-carbon ammonia-fueled aluminum billet heating furnace" for aluminum extrusion production was launched at Foshan Xianhu Laboratory. This equipment enables zero-carbon operation in the aluminum processing heating stage, marking a significant step forward in the green transformation of China's aluminum processing industry.
(B) Fuel Cell Technology/Product Developments
South China University of Technology:The team led by Chen Yu discovered a Ce₀.₆Ni₀.₂Cu₀.₂O₂ nanocatalyst with a heterogeneous structure that contributes to high-performance direct methanol protonic ceramic fuel cells.
Wuhan University of Technology:Professor Tang Haolin's team collaborated with Professor Jin Huanyu from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. They proposed a strategy of "coupling electron-withdrawing groups to enhance proton delocalization," which reduces the proton delocalization energy barrier in perfluorosulfonimide-biphenyl* acid (PFSI-BPA) membranes through molecular structure design, achieving a synergistic improvement in efficient proton conduction and thermal stability, confirmed through a combination of in-situ measurements and theoretical calculations.
Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology:By carefully designing the structure within a titanium dioxide electrolyte and leveraging the synergy between a polystyrene ball cartilage framework and lithium-based electrodes, the team successfully induced an "online in-situ structural transformation" inside the battery, ultimately forming a stable lithium-titanium-oxygen-carbon heterostructure.
