Surging news learned that one of the world’s largest hydrogen production units from electrolytic water was launched in Zhangjiakou green hydrogen energy integration demonstration base in Hebei Province on January 28 to start the production of green hydrogen. The project will provide about 50% green hydrogen supply for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Zhangjiakou competition area during the Winter Olympic Games, which will open on February 4, 2022.
The project is constructed by a joint venture between shell (China) Co., Ltd. and Zhangjiakou Transportation Construction Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd. The joint venture was announced to be established in November 2020. The first phase of the project includes the investment and construction of 20000 kW renewable energy electrolytic water hydrogen production and hydrogenation project in Zhangjiakou. The goal of the second phase of the project is to expand the production capacity to 60000 kW in the next two years.
Zhangjiakou is located at the junction of Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi and Mongolia. It is rich in renewable energy resources such as wind energy and Cecep Solar Energy Co.Ltd(000591) . As one of the host cities of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Zhangjiakou shoulders the important task of providing “green energy” and “green transportation” for the Winter Olympics, in which hydrogen energy plays an important role.
Taking the above-mentioned green hydrogen project as an example, the power generated by onshore wind energy will be used to supply green hydrogen to more than 600 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Zhangjiakou during the Winter Olympic Games. After that, the hydrogen produced by the project will be used for public and commercial transportation in Beijing Tianjin Hebei region to help decarbonize the transportation field in the region.
Wael Sawan, director of shell’s integrated natural gas, renewable energy and energy solutions business, said that this is the project with the largest capacity among all shell’s green hydrogen projects so far. “In China, we see full opportunities in the whole supply chain of hydrogen energy production, storage and transportation.” Huang Zhichang, chairman of Shell China group, said that through the phase II expansion plan of the project and cooperation with local governments and enterprises, the company will continue to support the development of low-carbon energy system and low-carbon transportation system in Zhangjiakou and the wider Beijing Tianjin Hebei region.
The Beijing Winter Olympics is also known by the industry as the “world’s largest demonstration of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles”. Relevant data show that the Beijing Winter Olympics will demonstrate the operation of more than 1000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and more than 30 hydrogen refueling stations. Among them, more than 700 hydrogen fuel buses will be put into use in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou competition areas, and at least 30 hydrogen fuel cell buses will be responsible for the transportation of spectators and staff during the competition.
Since 2021, the Winter Olympics hydrogen refueling stations of central energy enterprises such as PetroChina, Sinopec and state power investment have been intensively put into operation. Unlike previous sessions, the Beijing Winter Olympics will achieve 100% clean energy supply for the first time in the history of the Olympic Games.
