Govt supports hydrogen energy industry

Hubei's first stationary hydrogen refueling station is put into use in WEDZ in March 2019. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]

The new energy headquarters project funded by Vision Group Co was recently launched at the modern service industrial park of the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ). With a total investment of 400 million yuan ($59 million), the headquarters along with the group's manufacturing workshop have become China's first hydrogen energy industrial base to integrate the production, R&D, testing, exhibition and sale of hydrogen energy.

WEDZ is also home to Dongfeng Motor Co, State Fuel Cell Co, Cummins Inc and other leading hydrogen energy enterprises.

In 2017, the zone planned to build two hydrogen refueling stations and one hydrogen fuel cell bus route. But at that time, relevant construction approval procedures and regulatory systems at the national level had not yet been completed.

As a result, the zone decided to send research teams to developed regions such as Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces in 2018 and issued China's first hydrogen refueling station construction approval and management plan, accelerating the application of the zone's hydrogen fuel cell car demonstration.

In March 2019, Hubei's first stationary hydrogen refueling station was put into use in WEDZ. It takes a vehicle just three minutes to intake 18 kilograms of hydrogen, which can support a 400-kilometer drive.

There are currently 41 hydrogen fuel cell buses, 10 hydrogen fuel cell cleaning vehicles, and five hydrogen fuel cell spraying cars operating in the zone.