China's Anning City has officially clarified its hydrogen energy development strategy, releasing a detailed response that outlines the region's existing industrial base and lays out a comprehensive set of implementation measures for the future. The plan leverages the city's robust industrial foundation to build a complete hydrogen supply chain, aiming to drive low-carbon transformation across its local industries.
Building the Core Hydrogen Supply Chain
The city's near-term focus is on developing low-cost industrial by-product hydrogen as the primary gas source. Authorities will collaborate with local enterprises, including Kunming Steel, PetroChina, and Tian'an Chemical, to construct high-purity hydrogen purification projects using Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology. By converting industrial废气 into a "green resource," the city aims to secure a stable hydrogen supply. To meet immediate demand, Anning will also sign supply agreements with neighboring hydrogen-producing counties and utilize long-tube trailers for transport, while simultaneously planning a regional pipeline network to cut logistics costs.
Looking further ahead, Anning is positioning itself for a gradual shift from "gray" to "blue" and ultimately "green" hydrogen. The roadmap includes developing integrated wind-solar-hydrogen-storage demonstration projects. By building solar and wind power stations paired with alkaline electrolysis equipment, the city intends to produce "green hydrogen from green electricity." These projects will prioritize the use of idle land in industrial parks and abandoned mining areas to reduce costs, aiming for local production and consumption that aligns with national "dual carbon" goals and green hydrogen subsidy policies.
Infrastructure and Technology Development
To support early adoption, the city plans to install 2-3 skid-mounted hydrogen refueling stations in high-demand areas such as bus depots, logistics parks, and industrial zones. As demand grows, the strategy transitions to permanent fixed stations and integrated hydrogen production-refueling hubs to lower operational overhead. A digital dispatching platform for hydrogen storage and transportation is also being planned to enable smart management across the entire process.
On the technology front, Anning will establish industry-academia-research partnerships with universities and institutes to solve key challenges in purification, fuel cell components, and low-cost production. The local government will increase financial support for R&D centers and laboratories, facilitate the commercialization of local innovations, and implement robust talent recruitment and retention policies to strengthen the sector's human capital.
Expanding Applications and Market Ecosystem
The application strategy focuses initially on expanding transportation demonstrations. Plans include scaling up the deployment of hydrogen-powered buses, sanitation vehicles, and heavy-duty logistics trucks, while creating regional demonstration routes. Beyond mobility, the city will promote hydrogen as a substitute for fossil fuels in industrial settings, including smelting, heating, and backup power. Furthermore, Anning will explore emerging uses in energy storage and distributed power supply, aiming to create a virtuous cycle of "industrial cultivation, scenario application, and market feedback."
Next Steps
Moving forward, the Anning Municipal Development and Reform Bureau will treat this initiative as a key driver for the city's green transition and industrial upgrades. The work plan includes persistently securing policy support and precise resource allocation, strengthening and extending the hydrogen industry chain, and expanding demonstration applications. The ultimate goal is to foster a scaled, standardized, and high-quality hydrogen industry that injects new momentum into the region's economic and social green development.