China has emerged as a world leader in renewable energy-based hydrogen production, boasting more than 50 percent of global installed capacity, and is setting its sights on substantial industrial-scale breakthroughs in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period.
Driven by ambitious government policies and technological advancements, China has been racing ahead in developing its renewable hydrogen industry, with its annual production capacity exceeding 220,000 tonnes, which is more than a half of the global total. A major project helping to drive the growing capacity is the Ningdong Renewable Hydrogen and Carbon Reduction Demonstration Zone in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, which has supplied nearly 11 million standard cubic meters of green hydrogen, cutting carbon emissions by about 20,000 tonnes.
Speaking in an interview in Ningxia, Secretary-General of the China Hydrogen Alliance Wan Yanming stressed that China's investment in clean hydrogen projects now account for 30 percent of the global total, ranking first globally.
"China's annual green hydrogen production capacity now exceeds 220,000 tonnes, accounting for more than 50 percent the global total. We have built 540 hydrogen refueling stations, representing 40 percent of the world's total," Wan said
At the same time, innovative hydrogen technologies continue to emerge rapidly.
The cost of hydrogen production through water electrolysis has fallen to 20 yuan (about 2.83 U.S. dollars) to 30 yuan per kilogram, down nearly 40 percent from 2020.
This sharp decline has driven accelerated breakthroughs in green ammonia production, long-distance pipelines, and marine hydrogen energy.
China aims to establish a well-organized industrial layout and promote the widespread use of hydrogen production from renewable sources by 2030, providing robust support for achieving its carbon peaking goals.
Over the coming five years, the country is poised to accelerate the large-scale development of hydrogen energy, striving to achieve 100 GW of installed capacity for renewable hydrogen production and establish a comprehensive technological innovation system for the hydrogen industry, along with a clean energy hydrogen production and supply system.
China leads global green hydrogen production, eyes industrial-scale breakthroughs in next 5 years
China’s transport authorities mobilized rail, road, air and waterway resources on Tuesday, the final day of the five‑day May Day holiday, to manage the peak return flow as passenger volumes surged nationwide.
The national railway system expects 23 million passenger trips on the day, with operators adding 2,225 extra trains and deploying capacity on popular routes and peak hours to handle the return flow from smaller cities to major hubs.
In Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, 134 trains have been temporarily added for high-demand directions including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
"Railway return travel peaks today. In light of short stops and high passenger volumes, we have strengthened coordination with intermediate stations and offered guidance to passengers for smooth boarding and alighting to prevent crowding and stampedes," said Ji Yudi, a conductor of China Railway Zhengzhou Group.
Regional operators in Beijing, Chengdu and other cities have also proactively coordinated with local transit authorities to extend bus and subway operating hours, increase nighttime service frequency, and boost taxi and ride-hailing availability to ensure seamless transfers for late-arriving passengers.
With respect to highways, the national highway network is projected to record approximately 61 million vehicle trips on Tuesday. The peak traffic window is between 16:00 and 18:00, with congestion and slow-moving traffic likely around major city entry and exit points, as well as airport expressways in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.
To ease holiday congestion, traffic police in south China's Guangdong Province have rolled out tidal lanes and flow control measures at 24 key highway sections in nine cities.
"Using a highway interconnect system, we have conducted remote flow diversion. During this morning's peak return period, traffic efficiency on the Erenhot-Guangzhou Expressway improved significantly, showing no sign of congestion," said Dai Zhouwu, a local traffic police officer.
By water, an estimated 1.035 million passenger trips are expected to be made across the country on Tuesday, marking a 1.4-percent increase year on year.
To ensure smooth strait crossing from south China's Hainan Province, the maritime authorities in Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province have urged operators to supplement fixed sailings with extra voyages and optimized crew rotations to meet surging vessel demand.
Meanwhile, China's civil aviation sector is projected to carry 2.3 million passengers on Tuesday.
The Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, one of the country's busiest airports in southwest China's Sichuan Province, are offering free luggage pick-up and delivering services to passengers arriving from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
China’s transport network braces for record May Day return traffic
