China Hydrogen Energy Development Report 2026

On August 11, China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) released the China Hydrogen Energy Development Report 2026. The report provides a detailed review of the progress of China’s hydrogen industry in 2025 and outlines the key challenges facing the sector as well as its near-term development priorities.

This article summarizes the sections of the report covering the development of China’s hydrogen industry in 2025, including:

• Key national-level hydrogen policies issued in 2025

• China’s hydrogen production capacity, output, and production pathways in 2025

• China’s hydrogen consumption and downstream demand structure in 2025

• Renewable hydrogen projects — capacity launched and under construction

• Hydrogen liquefaction projects and capacity — commissioned and under construction

• Pure hydrogen long-distance pipelines — completed and under construction

• Hydrogen refueling stations

• Hydrogen prices in China — ex-plant and retail prices for vehicle use

• Progress in transportation

• Progress in industrial decarbonization

• Progress in power generation

• R&D and deployment of hydrogen equipment

• International cooperations

• Development of the hydrogen industry standards system

This is a very detailed and practical report and an essential handbook for anyone studying China’s hydrogen industry.

1. Major National-Level Hydrogen Policies Issued in 2025

The Guadance of Promoting the Integrated Development of New Energy called for the diversified non-electric utilization of renewable energy and the development of integrated green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol production bases.

Policies including the Notice on Deepening the Market-Oriented Reform of On-Grid Electricity Prices for New Energy to Promote High-Quality Development of New Energy and the Notice on Matters Concerning the Orderly Development of Direct Green Power Connections established pricing and trading mechanisms to support hydrogen production using green electricity.

The Notice on Launching the Development of Zero-Carbon Industrial Parks called for support for integrated hydrogen-power development and utilization.

The Implementation Opinions on Expanding Green Trade supported qualified regions in developing green ammonia and methanol bunkering and sustainable fuel trading.

Meanwhile, the Catalogue for the Promotion of Green Technologies and the Catalogue of Projects Supported by Green Finance included equipment manufacturing across the entire hydrogen value chain — production, storage, transportation, and utilization — as well as the construction and operation of hydrogen infrastructure within their scope of support, helping accelerate commercial deployment.

2. China’s Hydrogen Production Capacity, Output, and Production Pathways in 2025