China’s largest hydrogen demonstration complex at Daxing and Swiss-based industry alliance the Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2) have agreed to work together to accelerate global production and use of the clean fuel.

Central to the cooperation, set out in a memorandum of understanding, will be the creation of a global accreditation standard for green hydrogen.

A widely accepted standard based on rigorous sustainability criteria is seen as crucial to the industry’s development as it would provide certainty to investors and consumers, according to the GH2, whose members include Australia’s Fortescue Metals Group and Germany’s Thyssenkrupp.

“Chinese and international companies’ collaboration is key to unlocking green hydrogen’s potential, which is essential to removing fossil fuels from industries such as steel, cement, fertilisers, road haulage, shipping and aviation,” says former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who chairs GH2.

“China’s role as a renewable energy leader and green hydrogen technology manufacturer is important to growing the international green hydrogen industry.”

GH2’s members—which also include South Korean carmaker Hyundai, Chilean non-profit H2 Chile and Adair Turner, chair of thinktank the Energy Transitions Commission—have been driving efforts to create a global standard for several months. The backing from Daxing marks an important breakthrough.

“China’s role as a renewable energy leader and green hydrogen technology manufacturer is important to growing the international green hydrogen industry” Turnbull, GH2

The alliance with Daxing—which is located south of Beijing—will also aim to promote innovation and connections between Chinese and international companies to drive competition and efficiency.

The agreement comes after US technology firm Cummins and Chinese oil and gas company Sinopec unveiled a 50/50 joint venture earlier this month to pursue green hydrogen projects in China, including a $47mn plant to produce proton-exchange-membrane electrolysers.

The Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone includes work on hydrogen production, storage and processing as well as the manufacture of core fuel-cell components, and is heavily focused on transport applications.

Daxing has played a key role in driving forward the hydrogen economy in China, according Yafang Liu, deputy director of the Department of Energy Conservation and Technological Equipment at the state’s National Energy Administration.

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Author: Stuart Penson