China needs breakthroughs in green hydrogen to catch up with global leader Japan, experts say
- Green hydrogen produced from renewable energy is seen as a low-carbon replacement for diesel and petrol
- Technology gaps exist in every segment of the hydrogen industry between China and foreign countries, say experts
“From the production of hydrogen and fuel cells to transportation and distribution, technology gaps exist in every segment of the industry between China and foreign countries,” Wang Jin, dean of the Guohe InterContinental Energy Consultation Institute, told the China Green Hydrogen Energy Development Conference in Beijing on Thursday.
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In 2030, global green hydrogen output is expected to grow nearly 2.5-fold to 212 tonnes from last year, of which 54 per cent will be produced from electrolysis, up from 5 per cent last year, according to the International Energy Agency. The remaining 46 per cent will be made from fossil fuel with facilities to capture carbon dioxide emitted.
In China, the technology is still in its nascent stage. Last year, only 1.5 per cent of the 33 million tonnes of hydrogen was made via electrolysis, while more than 60 per cent was produced from coal.
It costs over 40 yuan (US$6.2) to produce a kilogram of hydrogen from electrolysis, which breaks down water into hydrogen and oxygen, five times the cost of producing it by gasification of coal under high temperature and pressure, according to CICC Global Institute, a think tank that assists in the research of China’s public policy.
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