Zhejiang Aims for 50 Billion Yuan Hydrogen Industry and 3,000 Fuel Cell Vehicles by 2028

Zhejiang Province has unveiled a draft action plan outlining ambitious goals for its hydrogen and green fuel industry over the next few years.

The draft, titled "Action Plan for Promoting the Innovative Development of the Hydrogen and Green Fuel Industry in Zhejiang Province (2026-2028)", was released for public consultation on July 13.

Key Targets for the Industry

By 2028, the province aims to achieve several key milestones. These include breaking through more than 10 critical technologies, cultivating five future industry pilot zones, and deploying 3,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on its roads.

Additionally, the plan targets the construction of 50 demonstration application scenarios, with the overarching goal of pushing the total industrial scale to surpass 500 billion yuan. This initiative positions Zhejiang to become a national leader in the comprehensive application of hydrogen and green fuels.

Developing the Full Hydrogen Industry Chain

The strategy focuses on developing the entire hydrogen industry chain, encompassing production, storage, transportation, refueling, and end-use. Key areas for technological advancement include next-generation hydrogen production, hydrogen fuel cell stacks, and high-temperature proton exchange membranes.

The plan also emphasizes the development of high-end equipment such as efficient electrolyzers, high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and hydrogen-powered ships.

Integrating Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Alcohol Production

To promote the integrated development of hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohol, the province will leverage renewable energy for their production. This aims to increase the share of non-electric renewable energy consumption.

Core technological processes targeted for breakthroughs include flexible ammonia synthesis, novel catalysts, and methods for producing alcohols from green hydrogen coupled with biomass or directly from green electricity. The plan supports the synthesis of green ammonia or green methanol from green hydrogen to advance the substitution of conventional fuels with green alternatives.

Pursuing Sustainable Aviation Fuel

The province intends to actively develop sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Efforts will focus on enhancing process technologies like ester and fatty acid hydrogenation and biomass gasification synthesis.

Key technologies for industrialization, such as alcohol-to-jet and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, will be strategically pursued to capture market opportunities arising from the commercialization of SAF.

Building Green Power and Feedstock Supply Systems

The plan includes a strategic layout for establishing green power and raw material supply systems. It supports pilot demonstrations for producing green hydrogen and green alcohols from local wind and solar power, tailored to regional resource availability and grid absorption capacity.

Furthermore, it encourages enterprises to form strategic partnerships with regions abundant in green power within China. These collaborations aim to jointly establish production bases for green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol, and to create dedicated green fuel transportation corridors.