China and India double down on green hydrogen as Western countries pull back on clean energy targets
In India, BioEnergy Times reported that China and India are significantly expanding their investments in green hydrogen even as Western nations scale back their earlier ambitions in the sector, amid cost pressures that have proven steeper than initially anticipated.
China is a participant in a $2 billion project that uses renewable energy to power banks of electrolyzers producing hydrogen molecules for use in fertilizer manufacturing, marine fuel, and low-emission steelmaking. Separately, Beijing has designated green hydrogen as a frontier industry in its most recent five-year plan, placing it alongside other advanced technologies and signaling a long-term policy commitment, according to the report.
China invested $3.7 billion in green hydrogen production last year — more than double the level invested by the United States — according to Minh Khoi Le, head of hydrogen at energy research firm Rystad Energy, as quoted by Reuters. Rystad projections, cited by Reuters, indicate that China will have approximately 2.6 million tons of green hydrogen capacity online by 2031, representing a cumulative investment of $26 billion.
India, meanwhile, is targeting annual green hydrogen output of 5 million metric tons by 2030, backed by government subsidies worth $2.1 billion, according to Reuters.
Category: Hydrogen
