Develop the layout of the hydrogen energy industry chain to establish a clean and low-carbon energy system

Hydrogen will power the next energy technology revolution and industrial development, serving as an important vehicle to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Sinopec is seizing this major strategic opportunity of hydrogen development; and is focusing on the hydrogen business as part of the company's new energy development. The company is promoting the entire hydrogen energy industrial chain, including top-level design; social cooperation；technology research and development; production, storage and transportation and network layout. It strives to be the bellwether of the hydrogen energy industrial chain by extending and strengthening the industrial chain. Currently, Sinopec has become one of the largest hydrogen suppliers in China, with an annual hydrogen production capacity of more than 3.5 million tonnes, accounting for about 14% of the total output across the country. Besides, it provides a solid foundation with links spanning transportation, storage, filling and utilization.

The plan for hydrogen development

In 2021, Sinopec formulated a special plan for hydrogen development, proposing to increase investment in hydrogen with the goal "led by 1,000 stations; green hydrogen demonstration with million tonnes of production, striving to be the first with two advantages, and achieving annual carbon reduction of more than 10 million tonnes". The company will develop an integrated industrial chain of hydrogen production, supply and marketing with a focus on refining petroleum and hydrogen transportation; become a comprehensive energy service provider of "oil, gas, hydrogen and electricity", and strive to be a leading hydrogen company and the bellwether of the high-quality development of the hydrogen industry in China.

Promote cooperation in the entire industry chain

Over the past few years, Sinopec has invested in a hydrogen fuel cell company and carried out joint ventures and cooperation with international and domestic counterparts with a focus on hydrogen and fuel cells in the automotive industry. It has invested in several enterprises in the industrial chain such as Shanghai REFIRE Group Limited; Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Sunwise Chemical Co. Ltd. The PEM electrolyzer plant for hydrogen production, which was jointly established with Cummins, has got underway. Additionally, the company signed strategic framework agreements for cooperation with major energy enterprises in China, attempting to be the "leader" of the hydrogen industrial chain to provide leadership and support to the hydrogen industry. Also, Sinopec is further strengthening all-around cooperation with various enterprises to jointly build an ecosystem of the entire hydrogen industrial chain.

The critical equipment for hydrogen production

Sinopec recently held a meeting for officials from 11 major hydrogen science and technology projects to promote scientific research of relevant topics. So far, it has made breakthroughs in the development of key catalysts for hydrogen production from electrolytic water and fuel cells; and designed platinum on carbon catalyst devices and a pilot plant for hydrogen production from electrolytic water. Further, eight enterprises (Beijing Yanshan Petrochemical Company; Tianjin Petrochemical; Shanghai Petrochemical; Gaoqiao Petrochemical; Guangzhou Petrochemical; Sinopec Hainan Refining and Chemical; Qilu Petrochemical and Sinopec Qingdao Refining and Chemical) have built hydrogen purification and filling facilities with a total capacity of 12,000 tonnes/year. The company has also launched projects for hydrogen production from wind power and photovoltaic energy in the Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Shandong provinces, adopting innovative technology such as grid-connected and off-grid systems in line with local conditions, with the aim of exploring the best control system to improve the efficiency of reactors and green hydrogen demonstration projects. Under the development principle of "integrating hydrogen and electricity, green hydrogen and carbon reduction", Sinopec has advanced major projects of renewable energy power generation, hydrogen production, storage and utilization, thus promoting the integration of "hydrogen supply, power grid, load and hydrogen storage". In January 2022, Yanshan Petrochemical was issued the "Standard and Evaluation of Low-carbon Hydrogen, Clean Hydrogen and Renewable Hydrogen" certification, becoming the first domestic company to obtain this.

Safe storage and transportation of hydrogen

Sinopec is an energy chemical company integrating upstream, middle and downstream sectors, and it has rich experience in the storage and transportation of gas-liquid and hazardous chemicals. So far, it has built three long-distance hydrogen pipelines, of which the longest transmission pipeline in China, referred to as the "Baling-Changling" hydrogen pipeline, has a length of 42 kilometers.

Promote the construction of hydrogen stations

Relying on the industrial foundation and advantage of the sale s network of 30,000 gas stations and 870 filling stations, Sinopec has developed its hydrogen supply and hydrogen station construction, boosting its business of hydrogen transportation. As of now, a total of 76 hydrogen refueling stations (including joint stations with oil and hydrogen) have been built, with a hydrogenation capacity of 45 tonnes/day，which can provide service for 9,000 fuel cell vehicles.

Explore the application of hydrogen fuel cells

Sinopec has built its second testing and analysis laboratory for hydrogen and fuel cells, and the Dalian Institute has been granted all the qualifications of GB / T37244 proton exchange membrane fuel cells for automobiles with hydrogen. Separately, Yanshan Petrochemical has achieved mass production of battery hydrogen; supplying 500kg of battery hydrogen products to the market in Beijing every day; and more than 20 tonnes of hydrogen fuel cells to the market in Beijing and surrounding areas. This built a solid basis for hydrogen supply to vehicles during the Beijing Winter Olympics.