Large-scale hydrogen energy utilization to be seen in Chinese market by 2050

Hydrogen energy will become a vital part of China’s energy structure and it will be put into large-scale use by 2050, media reports said on Tuesday.

According to industry data, hydrogen energy is able to meet 18 percent of the global energy demand by 2050 and the market volume of the energy and relevant technology will exceed $2.5 trillion, the Economic Daily reported.

Hydrogen power will play a vital role in China’s energy structure, the report said, citing Ling Wen, general manager of China Energy Group.

Hydrogen energy can be produced from traditional fossil energy sources, or it can be obtained from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and water, the report said.

Hydrogen energy can also be stored.

A variety of energy sources can be converted into hydrogen, stored in forms like compressed gas or liquefaction to achieve long-distance transportation, the report noted.

China’s hydrogen energy and fuel cell industry will achieve rapid technological progress in the future with many innovative outcomes, Ling said, noting that the energy can achieve sustainable development and there will be a “society of hydrogen energy,” the report noted.

Take the evolution of the passenger car for example, which is expected to transform into 5,000 to 10,000 fuel cell vehicles by 2020, and the number of hydrogen power stations that are in operation and under construction will reach 100, the report said.

By 2030, there will be 1 million cars with fuel cell and 1,000 hydrogen power stations.

The report said that by 2050, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen power generations will be put into large-scale application.

China is a major hydrogen producer, but it is currently a by-product in the industrial and energy sectors, most of which are not used as an energy sources, and many places are exploring hydrogen power pilot projects across the country, the report said.