China became the world’s largest producer and consumer of hydrogen in 2024, with total production and consumption exceeding 36.5 million tonnes for the year, according to the China Hydrogen Development Report (2025) released by the National Energy Administration (NEA) on April 28.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
China became the world’s largest producer and consumer of hydrogen in 2024, with total production and consumption exceeding 36.5 million tonnes for the year, according to the China Hydrogen Development Report (2025) released by the National Energy Administration (NEA) on April 28.
By the end of 2024, global renewable hydrogen production capacity had surpassed 250,000 tonnes annually, with China contributing more than half. The country is increasingly seen as a key driver in the global development of renewable hydrogen and related industries. Guided by innovation and aimed at large-scale commercialization, China has made steady progress across the entire hydrogen value chain—including production, storage, transport, and utilization. Landmark projects in Kuqa (Xinjiang) and Ningdong (Ningxia) are now operational, serving as national demonstrations of fully integrated green hydrogen systems.
Fuel cell vehicle (FCV) adoption has also advanced. More than 540 hydrogen refueling stations have been built across the country, supporting around 24,000 FCVs. Five leading regions—Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhengzhou, and Hebei—account for over 15,000 of those vehicles.
Hydrogen is also making inroads into power generation. A range of fuel cell and combined heat-and-power (CHP) projects have been launched, and China has completed key equipment trials, including a successful test of a 50 MW F-class gas turbine operating on a 30% hydrogen blend and a full-system test of a megawatt-scale pure hydrogen turbine.
Six hydrogen-related technologies were included in the NEA’s fourth batch of “first-of-a-kind” energy equipment projects, covering the full hydrogen supply chain from production to end use.
Looking to 2025, the NEA plans to strengthen policy support, integrate hydrogen into national energy planning, and accelerate the development and demonstration of critical technologies. The agency aims to build out the entire hydrogen value chain, improve the industrial ecosystem, and lay a stronger foundation for the sector’s high-quality growth during the 15th Five-Year Plan.
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