From Hydrogen Balloons to New Power: Hydrogen Energy Gives Cities "Green Wings"

Economic Observer Network According to CCTV News Client, recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued a notice to deploy pilot projects for comprehensive hydrogen energy applications. The plan clarifies that city clusters will serve as pilot entities, using large-scale multi-scenario applications to reduce hydrogen costs, promote high-quality development of the hydrogen industry, and support the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development.

What is hydrogen energy?

Why is it important to vigorously develop hydrogen energy?

A comprehensive guide for you↓

From chemical molecular formulas to green energy

What is hydrogen energy?

Many people’s impression of hydrogen

Still stays with childhood hydrogen balloons

or the molecular formulas in chemistry textbooks

But what you may not know is

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe

On Earth, it mainly exists in

compound forms

Cannot be directly mined

Must be produced from water or fossil fuels

Therefore, hydrogen energy is classified as a “secondary energy source”

Based on the formation process of hydrogen energy,

it is generally divided into the following three types↓

Gray hydrogen is mainly produced by

burning fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas

which generates hydrogen

and releases carbon dioxide and other emissions during production

Blue hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced using fossil fuels

with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology

significantly reducing carbon emissions

Carbon capture technology: refers to capturing carbon dioxide from emission sources and collecting and compressing the captured CO2.

Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by renewable energy

through water electrolysis

with minimal greenhouse gas emissions during production

Data shows that China’s annual hydrogen production and consumption have exceeded 36.5 million tons, accounting for 36.6% of the global total, ranking first in the world for many years.

“Hydrogen” in action

From green energy storage to industrial engine

Hydrogen energy has three attributes: energy, resources, and energy storage medium. The hydrogen industry is highly technological, low-carbon, and has broad development prospects. Promoting high-quality development of the hydrogen industry will provide important support for green economic transformation, the development of new productive forces, and achieving the “dual carbon” goals. (“Dual carbon” refers to carbon peaking and carbon neutrality)

Why can hydrogen energy shoulder this responsibility?

Its unique advantages are reflected in the following points↓

Green “power bank”

Green hydrogen can replace coal and oil and other fossil fuels

reducing the carbon intensity in industrial sectors

At the same time, through the flexible regulation of hydrogen storage

excess electricity generated from renewable energy

can be stored for future use

making the power grid less dependent on weather

The “all-round player” in industry

Developing hydrogen energy is not just about energy development

but also about equipping high-end manufacturing with a new engine

Manufacturing electrolyzers, developing special storage and transportation tanks

creating new materials…

These high-end manufacturing activities can spawn

new companies, new jobs, new technologies

becoming new drivers of economic growth

City “air purifiers”

The only byproduct of hydrogen combustion is water

No emissions of CO2, dust particles, or other pollutants

Hydrogen energy can fundamentally reduce smog

and improve air quality

The development of the entire hydrogen production, storage, and transportation industry chain

will strongly support the achievement of carbon neutrality goals

Unlocking a diversified application landscape

How hydrogen energy is entering daily life

Currently, hydrogen energy applications in China

are quietly taking root in many fields

gradually becoming part of our daily lives

“The Green Power Manager” in Polar Regions

At the Antarctic Qinling Station

a microgrid system using “H2Teng” fuel

is operating at high speed

During periods of good wind and solar conditions,

the system produces hydrogen from excess electricity

When wind and solar conditions are poor,

hydrogen fuel cells convert

hydrogen into electricity and heat

This system can operate continuously for 24 days,

providing up to 30 kilowatts of power

Each kilowatt-hour of electricity

saves 400 grams of standard coal compared to fossil fuels

and reduces about 1 kilogram of CO2 emissions

“Zero-carbon on duty” steel giant

The world’s first 260-ton hydrogen fuel cell mining truck

known as the “Steel Titan”

but with a green “heart”

It is equipped with five sets of 200-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cells,

with a hydrogen supply of 236 kilograms

Operating year-round,

it can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 3,000 tons annually

“Environmental Little Knight” on the street

Hydrogen-powered shared bikes in city streets

allow ordinary people to experience hydrogen energy firsthand

Equipped with small hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen storage tanks,

these bikes generate power through hydrogen chemical reactions

and the only emission is water

One hydrogen fill-up allows a range of up to 90 kilometers

About 500 bikes per year can reduce carbon emissions by 75 tons,

equivalent to planting 4,000 trees

Through pilot projects, hydrogen applications are expanding from fuel cell vehicles to industrial, transportation, and other diverse fields, creating a comprehensive application ecosystem of “one fuel cell vehicle scenario + N industrial application scenarios + X innovative application scenarios.”

Hydrogen energy is moving from policy to daily life

Believing that a cleaner, greener era

is speeding toward us