Where is the path forward for hydrogen fuel cell development? Experts say the industrial chain still needs to be refined.
2021-10-22
Reporters learned on the 21st that the 4th International Hydrogen Energy and Fuel Cell (Dalian) Technology Conference, part of SNEC (Shanghai New Energy Conference), concluded on the 21st in Dalian, Liaoning Province. During the three-day conference, academicians, experts, and scholars from the industry discussed the current status and future industrialization pathways for hydrogen energy and fuel cell research under the current “dual-carbon” framework.
Hydrogen energy is hailed as one of humanity’s ultimate energy sources and represents a major strategic direction for the global energy transition, drawing widespread attention from countries around the world. As an important pathway for the efficient utilization of hydrogen energy, fuel cells have become a key focus for nations seeking to develop their hydrogen industries and seize market opportunities.
Yi Baolian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a researcher at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated that the industrialization of fuel cell vehicles represents a breakthrough in hydrogen energy applications. We should adhere to independent innovation, overcome technological bottlenecks, achieve mass production of key materials and components, and significantly reduce the costs of fuel cell vehicle manufacturing, hydrogen refueling station construction, and hydrogen supply.
According to the “Energy-Saving and New-Energy Vehicle Technology Roadmap 2.0” released in 2020 by the China Society of Automotive Engineers, China’s stock of fuel cell vehicles is projected to reach approximately 1 million units by 2035. Commercial vehicles will have completed their transition to hydrogen power, and around 5,000 hydrogen refueling stations will be built. To achieve these goals, breakthroughs in key technologies—including core materials for fuel cells, hydrogen production methods, and hydrogen refueling station infrastructure—are of paramount importance.
Yi Baolian pointed out that currently, there are still several challenges, including the high cost of fuel cell engines, a limited number of hydrogen refueling stations, and high construction costs. Yi Baolian cited as an example that building a single hydrogen refueling station can cost anywhere from 12 million to 15 million yuan (RMB, same below), while the cost of refueling per kilogram can reach as high as 60 to 70 yuan. Therefore, the first priority is to achieve domestic production of key materials and components for fuel cells, thereby reducing the cost of fuel cell vehicles, lowering the construction expenses of hydrogen refueling stations, and improving the related industrial chain.
Regarding the adjustment of China’s future energy structure, Zhou Xiaoxin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and honorary director of the China Electric Power Research Institute, proposed that carbon dioxide captured from coal-fired power plants could be used to produce, on a large scale, gaseous or liquid fuels such as methane, methanol, and ammonia—factors that are easy to transport and store—as well as chemical feedstocks. These could replace fossil fuels like oil and natural gas and serve as an energy-storage medium for future new power systems with a high share of renewable energy, helping address medium- and long-term imbalances between energy supply and demand.
Shi Dinghuan, Honorary Chairman of the SNEC Conference, believes that with the support of numerous favorable policies, China’s hydrogen energy science and technology are rapidly advancing. The Chinese hydrogen energy industry has achieved increasingly significant results in scientific and technological innovation, providing excellent conditions for industrial development. At present, efforts should be made to establish a robust hydrogen energy industrial chain and continuously improve and innovate it.
Source: China News Service
Author: Yang Yi
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