"Hydrogen" installation still needs policy "break the game" policy "landing

The hydrogen energy industry was written into the "Government Work Report" for the first time, which means that the national level has begun to pay attention to the infrastructure construction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, but the industrial development has yet to be followed up by "specific" policies.
​​With the acceleration of China's energy reform, the strategic value of hydrogen energy is gradually highlighted. On March 15, the second session of the 13th National People's Congress concluded in Beijing. In the 83 amendments to the Government Work Report reviewed and approved, the content of "promoting the construction of facilities such as charging and hydrogenation" was added, which caused a lot of attention. This is the first time that the hydrogen energy industry has been written into the Government Work Report, which means that the national level has begun to pay attention to the infrastructure construction of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
​​Under the incentive of favorable policies, on March 18, a number of hydrogen fuel cell concept stocks such as Houpu shares, Beijing shares, and Corfar rose by the daily limit, and stocks such as Meijin Energy rose by more than 5%. Industry insiders believe that with the strengthening of state support, the hydrogen industry may usher in a period of rapid growth. However, the current difficulties facing the industry still need to be "broken" by relevant policies. Only in this way, can "hydrogen" and easy to lift.
​​Intensive layout: State-owned enterprises "pick the big head"
​​In recent years, hydrogen energy has been intensively distributed everywhere, from the central to the local, and the planning on hydrogen energy is also being formulated and introduced. In the "13th Five-Year" National Science and Technology Innovation Plan, the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology has been "classified as a key", and the "Blue Book of China's Hydrogen energy Industry Infrastructure Development" further describes the development roadmap of China's hydrogen energy industry: By 2020, China's fuel cell vehicles will reach 10,000, the number of hydrogen refueling stations will reach 100, and the total output value of the industry will reach 300 billion yuan; By 2030, the number of fuel cell vehicles will "hit the line" 2 million, the number of hydrogen refueling stations will reach 1,000, and the industrial output value will exceed 1 trillion yuan.
​​It is worth noting that the hydrogen industry has had private enterprises enter the bureau from the initial stage, but the most attention is still large central enterprises and state-owned enterprises. In February 2018, the China Hydrogen Energy Alliance, led by the National Energy Group and participated by a number of central enterprises and scientific research institutions, was established. As the initiator of the alliance and the first chairman of the unit, the National Energy Group and hydrogen energy industry has deep roots, at present, the company in hydrogen production, hydrogen transport and hydrogen storage, hydrogen refueling stations, fuel cells and other links of the whole industry chain are promoting, the general manager of the National energy Group Ling Wen is personally responsible for hydrogen energy to run to appeal. During the national two sessions, Ling Wen pointed out in an interview with the media that according to estimates, China's existing industrial hydrogen production capacity can meet the needs of 100 million vehicles if provided to the use of new energy vehicles, and the national energy group's capacity can be used for 40 million vehicles. He believes that China's hydrogen energy has unlimited development possibilities in the future.
​​The reporter learned that in addition to the national energy group, Sinopec is also accelerating the investment of hydrogen energy. As a traditional central petrochemical enterprise, Sinopec has natural advantages in the field of upstream hydrogen production and terminal hydrogen refueling stations: in hydrogen production, Sinopec's chemical by-products can provide a source of hydrogen energy; In terms of hydrogen refueling stations, Sinopec's existing extensive network of gas stations can facilitate the approval of hydrogen refueling stations. It is understood that up to now, Sinopec has completed the site selection of nearly 10 oil-hydrogen mixing stations.
​​Liu Hankun, director of SINOPEC Guangdong Petroleum Safety Department, told reporters that the company is actively exploring the layout of urban charging stations and hydrogen storage and hydrogenation infrastructure construction, has approved the construction of Foshan Zhangkeng, Yunfu Xinxing two refueling and hydrogenation joint stations, is currently handling the construction work. In this regard, Chen Chengmin, general manager of Guangdong Petroleum, further said that according to the company's new energy network development plan, three to five hydrogen refueling stations will be built within the year.
​​In addition, the State Grid, CGN, Three Gorges Group and other central enterprises have also entered the game, becoming the backbone of promoting the development of hydrogen energy industry. In this regard, Lin Boqiang, dean of the China Energy Policy Research Institute of Xiamen University, said in an interview with reporters that hydrogen energy is a relatively new capital-intensive industry, but also a "secondary energy", and electric vehicles, photovoltaic compared with private enterprises to enter in technology, capital has a certain difficulty, and there are greater risks. Lin Boqiang believes that if the hydrogen industry wants to grow, state-owned enterprises need to "pick the big head".
​​Progress is slow: "energy conversion" is underutilized
​​As a new energy source, hydrogen energy has the characteristics of clean and efficient, energy storage, transportation and rich application scenarios, and has broad development prospects. However, in recent years, although hydrogen energy has been intensively distributed in various places, it is still developing slowly. At the same time, although China currently has a high hydrogen production capacity, the national hydrogen production capacity of more than 20 million tons/year, but in the field of consumption, it is still mainly used as industrial raw materials, and the "energy" utilization of hydrogen is very small.
​​Lin Boqiang told reporters that hydrogen energy is not a new technology, but after years of development, there are still many obstacles, such as the economy of hydrogen fuel cells is not enough. In his view, the start and development of a new energy, to involve infrastructure, industrial chain issues, "For example, in hydrogen cars, Toyota produced hydrogen cars, but in reality how to hydrogenate?" It's all about the details. "If we want to develop like electric vehicles, we need a visible industrial policy."
​​As Lin Boqiang cited the example of Toyota's hydrogen car, one of the obstacles for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is also the insufficient construction of hydrogen refueling stations. At present, in the field of hydrogen refueling stations, high cost and difficult profitability have become a major bottleneck restricting their development. According to the "Fuel cell (hydrogen fuel cell) industry Basic Situation Research Report" (referred to as the "Report") recently released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou Institute of Advanced Technology, at present China's overall operation of 16 hydrogen refueling stations, in the building of 23. The report pointed out that although many cities across the country are planning to build hydrogen refueling stations, the overall scale has not yet formed.
​​The report said that the construction of hydrogen refueling stations in China is currently facing the problem of lack of top-level, although national and local policies to encourage and support the construction of hydrogen refueling stations, but the lack of coherence of support policies, hydrogen refueling station "birth permit" is also difficult to get. In addition, technical standards are not unified, insufficient technical reserves also constitute the development of hydrogen refueling station problems to be solved.
​​On the whole, although the demand for energy transformation provides opportunities for the hydrogen energy industry, problems such as weak industrial foundation, high equipment and fuel costs, and safety disputes are the difficulties that the large-scale development of hydrogen energy has to face, and the development of hydrogen energy still has a long way to go.
​​There is a long way to go: policy "landing" is the key
​​According to the "Hydrogen Energy Future Development Trend Research Report" released by the International Hydrogen Energy Commission, it is expected that by 2050, hydrogen energy demand will be 10 times the current, and 18% of global energy demand will come from hydrogen energy. During the National two sessions, the development of hydrogen energy has been mentioned many times, the CPPCC Standing Committee, vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, Chairman of Chint Group Nan Cunhui pointed out in the "Proposal on accelerating the development of hydrogen energy industry" that the comprehensive industrialization of hydrogen energy is of great strategic significance to optimize the energy structure and ensure national energy security.
​​Hydrogen energy was written into the "Government Work Report", which means that the development of the industry has been attached great importance at the national level, and the large layout of state-owned enterprises in this field itself also represents the national will to a certain extent. However, in view of the many problems currently existing in hydrogen energy, the "landing" of substantive policies has become the key to the further development of the industry.
​​In Lin Boqiang's view, in some areas, there is a considerable distance between new business forms proposed by the government and their eventual development and commercialization. A lot of it will depend on how much government support there is.
​​At the beginning of this year, Ling Wen pointed out that unlike developed countries, which have incorporated hydrogen into the national energy system, China's energy production and consumption structure has not yet included hydrogen energy and treated it as an energy with development potential, suggesting that the state organize relevant ministries to study the inclusion of hydrogen energy in the national energy system. Promote hydrogen energy to become an important part of the national energy strategy, formulate the hydrogen energy industry development strategy and implementation roadmap, and establish a scientific and long-term industrial development support and incentive policy.
​​Lin Boqiang said that the government's encouragement of the industry should not stay in concept, and more specific policies are needed. He suggested the introduction of a subsidy system similar to wind power and solar energy, or a preferential policy similar to the "lottery" for electric vehicles, so that the market is "hot" and hydrogen can really develop.