Hydrogen for All: Shandong Achieves Comprehensive Development in Hydrogen Energy Industry

In recent years, Shandong Province has actively responded to the national energy transition strategy by prioritizing the hydrogen energy industry as a key avenue for promoting green development. Since the establishment of the National Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Center in Shandong in 2021, the province, leading the "Hydrogen for All" technology demonstration project, has made significant progress across the entire hydrogen energy industry chain, thus providing a replicable "Shandong Model" for the development of hydrogen energy industry nationwide.

Shandong was the first in China to issue a medium- to long-term development plan for the hydrogen energy industry and to formulate guidelines on the construction of the standard system for the hydrogen energy industry, which has driven the initial development of the industry. Cities such as Jinan, Qingdao, Zibo, and Weifang have launched hydrogen energy industry development plans and policy measures based on local conditions, continually refining the policy framework for industry development. Currently, with over 270 hydrogen-related enterprises and research institutions, Shandong has become one of the provinces with the most comprehensive hydrogen industry chain in China, focusing on all aspects of "production, storage, transportation, distribution, and utilization".

Through the "Hydrogen for All" technology demonstration project, Shandong has concentrated on the development of modular hydrogen power systems and integrated energy supply systems. Key technological breakthroughs have been achieved in the integration and development of hydrogen power systems, hydrogen highway energy supply systems, and port hydrogen supply applications. The development of modular electrolytic water hydrogen production systems has also advanced, leading to highly reliable, durable, and economical demonstration applications such as hydrogen highways, zero-carbon service areas, hydrogen ports, low-carbon industrial parks, and large-scale hydrogen vehicles with their supporting infrastructure.

In the field of developing and applying key technologies and equipment for hydrogen power systems, Shandong Province has achieved groundbreaking advances in key components such as fuel cell engine series, power batteries, hydrogen storage systems at 35MPa/70MPa, and thermal management systems. These advancements have positioned the performance of hydrogen power systems at the forefront. Notably, hydrogen consumption for buses is 4.45 kg per 100 kilometers, for 49-ton heavy-duty trucks is 8.81 kg per 100 kilometers. Moreover, the 80kW fuel cell engine was first used in port terminal vehicles, consuming 8.51 kg of hydrogen per 100 kilometers in actual operations, and achieving a first-failure mileage of over 18,000 kilometers. Key technological breakthroughs have also been achieved in the integrated control of new hydrogen-electric hybrid systems, earning this achievement the Special Prize for Technological Invention in the China Transportation Industry.

In terms of integrating and demonstrating key technologies for hydrogen highways and zero-carbon service areas, new benchmarks have been established. A hydrogen highway energy database has been created, offering hydrogen supply solutions for each refueling station by considering factors such as supply capacity, cost, and distance. Innovative operational modes for hydrogen highways have been proposed, centered around hydrogen energy to support long-distance travel for hydrogen vehicles, with the development of systems for vehicle identification, hydrogen refueling station support, information management, safety, and emergency maintenance. This creates a new support system for the operation of hydrogen vehicles on highways. A new model for energy consumption at highway service areas has been developed through the integration of renewable energy generation, onsite hydrogen production using excess electricity, and combined heat and power via hydrogen fuel cells. By closely coupling energy consumption and hydrogen production, breakthroughs in zero-carbon operation technology for highway service areas have been achieved, establishing new intelligent functions for hydrogen zero-carbon service areas. A series of hydrogen refueling stations have been constructed along the Jinan-Qingdao Expressway, enabling routine refueling and operation of hydrogen vehicles on highways, thus completing China's first hydrogen highway ahead of others.

In the integration and demonstration of key technologies for hydrogen ports, Shandong Province has established a hydrogen supply system and built the China's first fully qualified port hydrogen refueling station, demonstrating the application of 56 hydrogen vehicles at the port. The world-first development of hydrogen-electricity coupled DC microgrid rail-mounted gantry crane enables 12-hour uninterrupted operation, creating a new mode for large-scale port machinery equipment with multi-energy complementary and independent energy supply, injecting new momentum into the construction of "China's Hydrogen Ports".

In the integration and demonstration of key technologies for hydrogen energy parks, Shandong has established China's first comprehensive low-carbon hydrogen energy park. Efficient hydrogen production has been realized through breakthroughs in by-product hydrogen purification and water electrolysis hydrogen production technologies. A total of 3,458 meters of pure hydrogen pipeline have been laid, with a planned layout for low, medium, and high pressure, and the solid-state hydrogen storage equipment with a total capacity of 44 kg is now in use. The development of an integrated "photovoltaic power generation—PEM hydrogen production—solid-state hydrogen storage—hydrogen combined heat and power supply" microgrid technology has enabled the comprehensive applications of hydrogen energy. Additionally, a three-tier safety management plan is being explored to ensure the safe operation and management of hydrogen within the park.

In terms of promoting hydrogen vehicles and large-scale operation modes, Shandong has undertaken extensive exploration. Based on the demonstration operation data, an economic model for the large-scale operation of fuel cell commercial vehicles in typical application scenarios has been established, filling the gap in China's integrated operation business model of "vehicle—station—road—port". By the end of 2024, more than 2,041 hydrogen fuel cell buses, coaches, heavy-duty tractors and light truck logistics vehicles had been promoted.

In July 2024, the National Development and Reform Commission released the "Management Measures for Natural Gas Utilization," which encouraged the development of innovative and advanced applications for the safe and efficient use of natural gas, such as demonstration projects blending hydrogen into terminal natural gas. Shandong has taken the lead in further exploration. China's first urban gas hydrogen transmission pipeline designed and constructed according to urban natural gas engineering standards has received approval from industry authorities and will begin construction soon. Through the research and application of pipeline hydrogen in urban energy supply, Shandong will develop an economic model covering the entire industry chain and lifecycle, forming an overall solution for urban integrated energy supply demonstration projects based on pipeline hydrogen. The province aims to master and validate a range of independent key core technologies and system products serving the comprehensive applications of urban hydrogen, and to achieve breakthroughs in large-scale hydrogen production via multiple pathways, dynamic balance technology for urban gas pipeline network transportation and user demand. Efforts will also focus on mastering and validating urban gas pipeline network hydrogen transmission and application technologies, alongside developing adaptable natural gas hydrogen blending equipment. Additionally, Shandong seeks to establish leading standards and regulations suitable for pure hydrogen pipeline networks, hydrogen-blended gas, hydrogen fuel, and fuel cell combined heat and power supply, ensuring there are clear laws and regulations for urban pipeline hydrogen transmission and blending hydrogen into natural gas.

During the implementation of the "Hydrogen for All" technology demonstration project, Shandong Province and the participating cities have proactively tackled challenges that constrain project implementation, cultivating a series of new modes and business models for hydrogen energy utilization. This provides a demonstration model for the comprehensive utilization of hydrogen energy nationwide and explores effective pathways for wider hydrogen energy adoption.