SHENZHEN is gearing up to seize the opportunities presented by the burgeoning hydrogen industry, aiming to significantly bolster its scale and innovation capacity by 2025, according to a plan released by the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission.

Outlined in the plan are 17 measures grouped into four key categories: the advancement of core hydrogen technologies, fostering advanced manufacturing capabilities, showcasing application scenarios, and bolstering industry support services.

By 2025, Shenzhen aims to lead the nation in key components and equipment technologies critical to hydrogen energy, including fuel cells, membrane electrodes, bipolar plates, proton exchange membranes, carbon paper, catalysts, and hydrogen production equipment. Additionally, the city plans to establish at least 15 innovation centers and actively participate in the formulation or revision of at least 20 international and domestic standards in the hydrogen energy sector.

To position itself as a hub for core hydrogen technologies, the action plan underscores the importance of undertaking key research initiatives, addressing technological bottlenecks, and initiating fundamental research projects, particularly in hydrogen production, storage, and transportation.

Furthermore, the plan advocates for the creation of diverse and multi-level innovation platforms to support various aspects of hydrogen energy production, storage, transportation, and utilization. Eligible platforms may receive subsidies of up to 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million). There’s also a focus on expediting the development of hydrogen energy standards, with particular emphasis on aspects such as hydrogen quality, safety, production, purification, storage, transportation, and refueling processes.

In a bid to establish advanced manufacturing clusters, the plan proposes the construction of hydrogen energy industrial parks such as the Longhua Qiuyuling Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park, the Yantian International Hydrogen Energy Industrial Park, and the Longgang International Low-carbon City. Eligible enterprises engaged in advanced hydrogen production and storage, fuel cell core materials and components, and distributed power generation will be eligible for subsidies of up to 15 million yuan.

The plan gives priority to the construction of application scenarios and will award subsidies to enterprises involved in demonstrating hydrogen energy applications, particularly in the transportation sector. Shenzhen will explore diverse application scenarios, ranging from green architecture and industrial parks to public hospitals, while also encouraging the adoption of hydrogen energy in marine vessels and unmanned aerial vehicles.

To bolster the support system, Shenzhen will expedite the construction of hydrogen refueling stations and implement measures to gradually reduce hydrogen production costs. This includes differential electricity pricing policies for hydrogen production at dedicated fuel cell vehicle stations, allowing surplus electricity from power plants to be utilized during off-peak hours for water electrolysis to produce hydrogen.

(Han Ximin)