The Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone promotes innovation and application of hydrogen energy technology.
Hydrogen energy, with its abundant sources and low-carbon content, is a major means to build a clean, safe, and efficient energy system, and achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. Currently, 18 economies worldwide are developing hydrogen energy.
China used hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on a trial basis during the 2008 Beijing Olympics and since then, has accelerated the development of its hydrogen industry. The Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone in Beijing’s Daxing District showcases the efforts.
The zone started operations in 2022 to promote innovation and application of hydrogen energy technology.
It enjoys unique advantages to advance the industry and integrates technological innovation and industry-university-research application.
According to Xiang Yankuan, deputy director of the Bureau of Economy and Information Technology in Daxing District, the zone is also a service platform for academicians and experts, with collaborations with 28 research institutions and higher education organizations. It cooperates with international institutions like the Geneva-based Green Hydrogen Organization.
At the same time, the Daxing Hydrogen Energy Exchange Center in the zone showcases corporate technologies and products. It is an international exchange and cooperation platform for hydrogen energy display and communication.
A workshop inside the zone, which has 228 hydrogen energy companies.
Improving Infrastructure
Hydrogen is light, has abundant reserves, and burns rapidly, making it ideal for broad application in the transportation sector. According to China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, by 2035, commercial vehicles in China will run on hydrogen power and China will have approximately one million fuel cell vehicles.
As a major step toward that goal, China has built more than 270 hydrogen stations, accounting for approximately 40 percent of the global total. The Hypower Hydrogen Station in the demonstration zone has a daily hydrogen refueling capacity of 4.8 tons, the highest in the world.
Wang Gang, a hydrogen bus driver in Daxing, had nothing but praise for the station, saying, “Hydrogen buses are environmentally friendly, produce little noise, and leave no unpleasant odor. Generally, this kind of bus takes about 10 minutes to fully refuel, which can support a drive of 400 kilometers. Refueling is convenient.”
Besides, the hydrogen pipeline of the station is connected to the zone’s hydrogen test platform, ensuring the supply of low-cost hydrogen for research and development. According to Xiang, by 2025, at least 10 more hydrogen refueling stations are expected to be built. Four stations have already been completed, and three more are under construction.
The Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone is a hub of hydrogen energy companies comprising the entire hydrogen energy industry chain.
Business on the Rise
Improved infrastructure has made the zone a hub of hydrogen energy companies along the entire hydrogen energy industry chain. According to Xiang, there are 228 hydrogen energy enterprises in the zone, including SinoHytec, which focuses on the R&D and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells, SPIC Hydrogen Energy Tech, and Dongfang Electric Corporation.
SinoHytec is among the first Chinese companies to mass produce fuel cell systems and galvanic piles, the core component of the hydrogen fuel cell system, with independent intellectual property rights. It has an annual capacity of approximately 3,000 units. According to its manufacturing director Mu Xiaojie, hydrogen fuel cells have broad application prospects in automotive and large-scale energy storage.
Hydrogen fuel cell products have to undergo rigorous quality testing before entering the market. For that, in the past SinoHytec had to transport its products from its headquarters in Beijing to other certified locations like Tianjin and Chongqing. But now the inspection can be done at the zone, reducing the time and cost of product testing.
The National Energy Administration says innovation and industrial development of hydrogen energy technology will be promoted in an orderly manner, with pilot demonstrations, hydrogen production from renewable energy, and expansion of application scenarios. The zone not only provides valuable experience for the development of the hydrogen energy industry, but has also set a benchmark for hydrogen energy applications in China.
