China's National Energy Administration (NEA) on Monday released the country's first-ever hydrogen energy development report, revealing that the country's hydrogen production and consumption topped 36.5 million tons in 2024, securing the top spot worldwide.
According to the report, by the end of 2024, renewable energy-based hydrogen production projects worldwide had an annual capacity of over 250,000 tons, with China contributing more than half of the total, positioning the country as a leader in global hydrogen production from renewable energy sources and related industries.
"In 2024, hydrogen production in China's 'Three-North' regions (northwest, north and northeast China) accounted for more than half of the national total, with Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia and other regions all ranking among the top positions. By the end of 2024, over 600 water electrolysis hydrogen production projects were planned across the country, with more than 150 already under construction or completed, yielding an annual production capacity of around 125,000 tons. These projects are mainly concentrated in northwest and north China, together accounting for nearly 90 percent of the country's total established hydrogen production capacity," said Xu Jilin, deputy director of the NEA's energy conservation and sci-tech equipment department, at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
The report underscores China's significant advancements in hydrogen production, storage, transport, and utilization technologies.
Several large-scale renewable energy-based hydrogen production projects have been completed and put into operation, and the pilot application of fuel cell vehicles has been steadily advancing, with more than 540 hydrogen refueling stations built across the country, according to the report.
China leads global hydrogen production, consumption in 2024: report
Thousands of Lebanese people are heading back to their homes in south Lebanon after a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect on Friday, despite warnings against their return.
Both the Lebanese military and the Israel Defense Forces have warned them not to rush back home, as Israeli troops have not withdrawn. Yet, thousands are on their way, celebrating what could be a fragile ceasefire as a sign of victory.
"No matter how much the enemy kills and destroys, you see the people's will. From midnight till morning and for days to come, our people insist (on staying in their land)," said Hussein Jishi, a member of the Lebanese Parliament representing Hezbollah.
Rabab Abou-Khalil, a displaced southern Lebanon resident, stood along the roadside to greet returning Lebanese, along with her sisters. They held pictures of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Hezbollah's secretary general Hassan Nasrallah.
"I'm proud that my 11 family members got martyred for this. I raise my head high in pride that our houses were demolished as a sacrifice to push the enemy away. My cousins, my husband, and my children got killed, and I still have two more, whom I am ready to sacrifice in defense of the Islamic resistance," she said.
For many returnees, the way home was blocked by a destroyed bridge, which was bombed on Thursday to prevent residents from returning. However, the road was cleared when the Lebanese military created a mud path for vehicles to cross in just a few hours.
As people head back to evacuated villages, they are seeing the scale of destruction for the first time, but it has not changed their feelings about their home.
"My neighborhood has not changed. Even if it's destroyed, it remains the same here in my heart. It's engraved there. We are a nation undefeatable. If we are martyred, we win," said Nassif Nazagh, a resident in Srifa.
In Jouaiyya, another southern municipality, the scenes of mass rubble look no different than those in Srifa, yet they tell another unique story.
"There was a morgue here, and in it were about 30 bodies of our martyrs. This was a usual strike, where they harm us. There was nothing here. Three of my colleagues were working there, and the fighter jet struck them. This makes us more persistent and stronger. It shows that we are on the right path," said Hadi Qassim, a first responder for the Islamic Health Society Jouaiyya.
Thousands return to southern Lebanon despite warnings amid fragile ceasefire
