Hydrogen Council showcases China as industry leader at Shanghai forum

China is continuing to deploy clean hydrogen at scale, integrating decarbonized technology across the entire value chain, and trailblazing for project delivery worldwide. As of May 2024, China led globally in hydrogen truck deployment (95%), hydrogen refueling station (HRS) construction (390), and programs past final investment decision (FID) – with over 40% of hydrogen projects and roughly 65% of global electrolyzer capacity past FID.

Witnessing this growth first-hand, Ballard’s Nicolas Pocard, vice president, marketing and strategic partnerships, attended the Hydrogen Council Business Forum in Shanghai from May 19-20, joining more than 170 delegates including executives from industry leaders such as Linde, Air Liquide, and Bosch. The event highlighted the growth in hydrogen applications and deployments, stressed the necessity of standards alignment, and emphasized the importance of market synergy to support meaningful long-term growth.

Spending the week in Shanghai at the Hydrogen Council Business Forum, attendees had the opportunity to witness the incredible progress being made within the hydrogen industry. With 28,000 fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) now on the road, including 15,000 buses and trucks, China is the clear global leader in FCEV deployments, as well as in the production of hydrogen, electrolyzer capacity, and low-carbon hydrogen projects.

In a country where electrification has broken through as the main option for mobility (more than 50% of all registrations), China understands that hydrogen mobility is needed to achieve 100% decarbonization – and the country continues to invest appropriately in supporting technology development, hydrogen production, and FCEV roll-outs. Industry players are also increasing production capacity while reducing product costs.

This progress reasserts the complementary nature of both battery and fuel cell electric technologies. China is taking a pragmatic approach by utilizing available hydrogen production (regardless of color or source) in order to provide the necessary kick-start for regular production and to build the required infrastructure - 545 stations to-date, including many heavy-duty sites producing hydrogen at more than 1t/day. Delivering ambitious renewable hydrogen production projects, China is addressing decarbonization step by step – but with clear ultimate goals in place.

The combination of this pragmatic approach and fuel subsidies delivers hydrogen fuel at 35-55rmb/kg, or $5-7/kg, at the pump. While this level of hydrogen pricing is still a dream for many transit bus operators in Europe and North America, China’s practical and proactive attitude has made it a reality, and is driving the fuel cell ecosystem and generating real-world results.