Hydrogen buses power green face of Beijing 2022 Winter Games

Hydrogen-powered buses have been put into use for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games, marking a milestone for China's hydrogen power industry and showcasing the country's green concept for the Games.

According to Zhang Yinguang, who is in charge of the hydrogen power business for the State Power Investment Corp, a national energy giant, about 150 hydrogen-powered buses, developed and manufactured by the company, have been put into use for the Games in downtown Beijing and suburban Yanqing.

Some 60 vehicles are being used in the Yanqing bubble, mainly to transport IOC officials, staff and volunteers, he said.

"The low temperatures and the high attitude in the area posed a challenge for the vehicles," Zhang said, adding that the highest point the clean energy buses reach in Yanqing is about 2,000 meters.

The route follows a narrow mountainous section, stretching for 7 kilometer with four sharp turns, on which it is difficult for two vehicles to pass each other. This requires that the buses work well at all times. If one breaks down in the middle of the road, it will cause a traffic jam, Zhang said, adding that zero breakdowns is the goal.

Compared to electric-powered vehicles, which are also clean energy, hydrogen-powered buses can travel further on a single refill, especially in low temperatures.

The buses can manage about 500 to 600 kilometers per tank in the mountains.

The buses were developed and manufactured by China, demonstrating the country's advances in the field in recent years, he said, adding that they also deliver on the commitment to green and sustainable Winter Games.

"We can summarize this practice and outcome with the keywords 'low-carbon management' and 'ecological conservation'," Li Sen, director-general of the general planning department of the Beijing 2022 organizing committee, said at a daily briefing.

China plans to reach peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. At Beijing 2022, it is translating those pledges into concrete action, with the hydrogen buses being one part.

"After their test at the Winter Games, hydrogen-powered buses are ready for a wide-scale use in China," Zhang said.