National Energy Administration (NEA) Holds Press Conference on Key Details of the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report (2025)

National Energy Administration Holds Press Conference on Energy Development and Hydrogen Industry Report

The National Energy Administration (NEA) held a press conference to release updates on the energy sector’s performance in the first quarter, including renewable energy integration, and to interpret the Notice on Measures to Promote the Development of Private Enterprises in the Energy Sector and the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report (2025). The event also featured a Q&A session with journalists.

[Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Department, Zhang Xing]
Thank you, Deputy Director Xu Xin. Now, Deputy Director Xu Jilin will interpret the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report (2025).

[Deputy Director of the Energy Conservation, Science, and Technology Equipment Department, Xu Jilin]
Greetings to all media representatives! I will now present the key details of the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report (2025). The development of the hydrogen energy industry is crucial for accelerating the construction of a new energy system and achieving China’s carbon peaking and neutrality goals. Guided by the "Four Revolutions and One Cooperation" energy security strategy, China’s hydrogen sector is transitioning from pilot explorations to a phase of structured breakthroughs.

To implement the requirements of the *Medium- and Long-Term Plan for Hydrogen Energy Industry Development (2021–2035)* and guide the industry’s healthy growth, the NEA organized institutions and experts to compile the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report (2025). The report analyzes global hydrogen energy technology and industrial advancements in 2024 and provides outlooks for China’s hydrogen sector in 2025. A copy has been distributed to the media, and I will summarize its key points.

The report comprises three sections: global and domestic hydrogen development in 2024, China’s hydrogen industry outlook for 2025, and a timeline of major events. The 2024 review systematically assesses domestic and international progress across six areas: policy frameworks, market scale, pricing trends, innovation applications, international cooperation, and standardization. The 2025 outlook highlights five priorities: policy coordination, core technology breakthroughs, public service system improvements, pilot project expansions, and global market exploration.

Key Highlights of the Report:
In 2024, central and local governments strengthened top-level policy design, issued specialized regulations, and enhanced interdepartmental coordination to guide high-quality industrial growth. The Energy Law of the People’s Republic of China, effective in 2025, explicitly mandates “proactive and orderly advancement of hydrogen utilization to foster high-quality industry development.” The Central Committee and State Council’s Opinions on Accelerating Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development call for full-chain development of hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization, alongside standardized systems. Over 560 hydrogen-specific policies have been issued nationwide, tailored to local conditions. In 2024, China’s hydrogen production and consumption exceeded 36.5 million tons, ranking first globally. By end-2024, global renewable energy-based hydrogen projects reached over 250,000 tons/year in capacity, with China accounting for more than 50%, solidifying its leadership in renewable hydrogen development.

Technological innovation and industrial scaling drove breakthroughs across China’s hydrogen value chain in 2024. Large-scale renewable hydrogen projects, such as those in Xinjiang’s Kuqa and Ningxia’s Ningdong, became operational, demonstrating integrated production-storage-transportation-application models. Fuel cell vehicle (FCV) adoption progressed steadily, with over 540 hydrogen refueling stations built and approximately 24,000 FCVs deployed nationwide. Five key regions—Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Shanghai, Guangdong, Zhengzhou, and Hebei—cumulatively promoted over 15,000 FCVs. Diversified fuel cell power generation and cogeneration projects were launched, including a 50 MW F-class gas turbine achieving 30% hydrogen co-firing and a megawatt-scale pure hydrogen gas turbine completing verification. Six hydrogen technologies were listed in the NEA’s fourth batch of major national energy equipment innovations, covering the entire hydrogen chain.

2025 Outlook:
As the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the preparatory year for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the NEA will advance policies to bolster hydrogen industry growth. Efforts will focus on integrating hydrogen into energy management frameworks, accelerating R&D and demonstration of critical technologies, fostering full-chain development, improving industrial ecosystems, and optimizing the development environment. These steps aim to lay a robust foundation for high-quality, rapid hydrogen industry growth during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

This concludes the overview of the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report (2025). Thank you!