Green Hydrogen in China: A Roadmap for Progress

The report identifies cost, infrastructure, market demand, standards, technology, and international cooperation as the primary barriers to green hydrogen expansion in China. It outlines a three-phase implementation plan from 2023 to 2030, aiming to reduce production costs to CNY 15/kg and establish a network of over 5,000 refuelling stations. The roadmap emphasizes transitioning from a fossil-fuel-dominated hydrogen sector to one powered by renewables, leveraging China's strengths in alkaline electrolysis while urging progress in PEM technology and regulatory harmonization.

• China is the world's largest producer and consumer of hydrogen, but green hydrogen represents a negligible fraction of its output; in 2021, less than 0.1% of the 34.68 million tons of hydrogen produced came from electrolysis powered by renewable energy.
• Production costs are a primary barrier to scaling, with green hydrogen in China costing on average at least three times more per kg to produce than hydrogen produced from coal.
• Hydrogen infrastructure development is hindered by a regulatory framework that classifies hydrogen as both an energy source and a hazardous chemical, requiring facilities to be located in chemical industry parks.
• Investment in the hydrogen sector is significantly lower than in the broader new energy vehicle (NEV) sector; in 2021, hydrogen financing totaled $578 million compared to $489 billion for NEVs.
• While China has mature and cost-effective alkaline (ALK) electrolysis technology, it lags behind global leaders in proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology and relies heavily on imports for key PEM components like catalysts and membranes.
• The hydrogen standard-setting process in China is described as too slow and fragmented, with a lack of clear responsibility across different ministries and a disproportionately low number of industrial standards compared to national standards.
• The report identifies heavy-duty trucking as an ideal application for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) and highlights the potential for hydrogen to replace coking coal in iron and steel production to reduce CO2 emissions.
• The proposed 2030 outlook targets a green hydrogen cost price of CNY 15/kg, a demand of 5-8 million tons, and the establishment of over 5,000 refuelling stations.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Green Hydrogen in China: A Roadmap for Progress. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Green_Hydrogen_in_China_A_Roadmap_for_Progress_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Green Hydrogen in China: A Roadmap for Progress. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Green_Hydrogen_in_China_A_Roadmap_for_Progress_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Green Hydrogen in China: A Roadmap for Progress |date=June 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Green_Hydrogen_in_China_A_Roadmap_for_Progress_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023green, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Green Hydrogen in China: A Roadmap for Progress}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Green_Hydrogen_in_China_A_Roadmap_for_Progress_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }