China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) announced the completion of the nation’s first factory-based seawater hydrogen production research project in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong province, on Wednesday.
This project marks a key development in the country’s efforts to advance clean energy technologies and promote the sustainable use of resources.
The initiative combines direct seawater hydrogen production with green electricity, with the capacity to produce 20 cubic meters of green hydrogen per hour.
It offers a new solution for utilizing renewable energy in coastal regions while providing a method for recycling high-salinity industrial wastewater, according to Sinopec.
The project utilizes green electricity generated by a floating photovoltaic power station at the company’s Qingdao refinery to electrolyze seawater into hydrogen and oxygen. The produced hydrogen is integrated into the refinery’s pipeline network, where it is used for refining operations or as fuel for hydrogen-powered vehicles. The entire process takes place within the factory itself.
As China aims to become a global leader in green hydrogen production and utilization, experts anticipate significant advancements in the country’s hydrogen sector, fueled by falling costs, supportive policies, and technological innovations, particularly in green hydrogen.
Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and generates minimal greenhouse gas emissions during production.
Liu Shiyu, vice-president of the China Electric Power Planning and Engineering Institute, predicts that green hydrogen will dominate China’s hydrogen supply in the coming decades, potentially making up 90 percent of total production by 2060, compared to just 0.2 percent now.
An analyst noted that the project highlights the potential of direct seawater electrolysis for green hydrogen production, reducing reliance on freshwater while tapping into abundant coastal renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
China’s coastal regions offer a clear advantage for producing green hydrogen, given their plentiful wind, solar, and seawater resources, said Lin Boqiang, director of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University.
Direct seawater electrolysis allows for the conversion of intermittent and difficult-to-store green power into hydrogen, which is easier to store and use, while also conserving valuable freshwater resources. This approach opens up new possibilities for hydrogen energy development, Lin added.
Already the world’s largest producer and consumer of hydrogen, China accounted for more than one-third of global hydrogen output in 2023, producing 35 million metric tons, a figure that is expected to nearly triple to 100 million tons by midcentury.
According to global consultancy Rystad Energy, China’s share of green hydrogen is expected to grow even faster, as the country continues to install electrolyzer capacity at an unprecedented rate.
Despite its advantages, seawater contains more than 90 chemical elements, microorganisms, and suspended particles, which can cause corrosion, toxicity, catalyst inactivation, low electrolytic efficiency, and other technical challenges.
The salt content in seawater, particularly chloride ions, can corrode electrolyzer electrodes, reducing efficiency or causing damage, Sinopec explained.
To address these issues, Sinopec developed specialized equipment and unique technologies, such as chlorine-resistant electrode technology, high-performance electrode plate designs, and seawater circulation systems, enabling seamless integration of research and practical application.
As technology advances and costs decrease, seawater hydrogen production is expected to be applied on a large scale in the future. China is currently accelerating its research efforts, with universities and research institutions actively working to overcome the field’s technical challenges.
Sinopec has been intensifying its efforts to become China’s leading hydrogen energy company by advancing research and applications across the entire hydrogen value chain and building platforms for key technologies.
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