The photo shows the green hydrogen demonstration project in Kuqa city, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on July 11, 2023. The project marks the first one in China utilizing photovoltaic power to directly generate hydrogen on a large scale with a total investment of 3 billion yuan ($416.66 million) and can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 485,000 tons annually. Photo: VCG

China's first national-level construction guideline for the standards of the hydrogen energy industry chain was jointly released on Tuesday by several ministries and departments, in a bid to implement the national deployment of the industry, and give full play to the leading role of standards for its development.

The guideline builds a standard system for the production, storage, transport and use of the hydrogen energy. The goals of the guideline include accelerating the formulation of relevant technical standards and improving the international standardization on hydrogen energy, according to a statement on the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation.

The guideline clarifies the key tasks of domestic and international hydrogen energy standardization work in the next three years, and deploys two major actions - core standard development and international standardization promotion.

Following the release of the guideline, related stocks rallied on Tuesday. For example, shares of Beijing Jingcheng Machinery Electric Co were up 22.97 percent at the close.

Hydrogen energy is a versatile type of energy with low carbon emissions and wide uses in various fields. It is of great significance for building a clean, low-carbon emission, safe and efficient energy system and achieving China's goals of carbon peaking and neutrality.

The guideline for hydrogen energy adds fuel to the country's new-energy and green development sectors. It is also a supplement to the plan on the development of hydrogen energy for the 2021-35 period, released in March.

As shown in the plan, China will put in place a relatively complete hydrogen energy industry development system by 2025, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

By 2035, the proportion of hydrogen produced from renewable energy in terminal energy consumption will increase significantly, which will play an important supporting role in the country's green energy transformation.

China is currently the largest hydrogen producer in the world, with an annual output of 33 million tons, accounting for about 30 percent of global production, according to Xinhua.

The country's hydrogen energy market is expected to reach 43 million tons by 2030, read an estimate from the China Hydrogen Alliance. 

A growing number of countries are releasing national strategies to support the hydrogen energy industry, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). 

But the IEA also noted that the lack of clarity about certification and regulation is one of the barriers to making firm investment decisions. However, the agency listed China as a highlight that has "taken the lead in deployment."

Global Times