Green hydrogen: can China reclaim its glory in EVs, batteries and solar panels?

The array of scale models at the International Carbon Neutrality Expo in Shanghai on June 5-8, 2024, offered a look at China’s plans for an energy future featuring hydrogen. The event showcased the latest technological advancements made by local governments in the race for a green future. Among the exhibits were at least a dozen featuring hydrogen power, reflecting China’s ambitions for hydrogen energy. As the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, China has explored opportunities presented by the most abundant element in the universe. Beijing has set a goal of becoming a global leader in hydrogen as a pathway to carbon neutrality, to reduce its reliance on energy imports and to develop a new pillar of economic growth.