At the end of March this year, a mid and long-term plan for hydrogen energy industrial development from 2021 to 2035 was released by the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration to tackle core technologies. In response, the Wuhan government issued its proposals on building a 100-billion-yuan-level hydrogen industrial cluster, stating that by 2025 the annual revenue of the city's hydrogen energy industrial chain should hit 50 billion yuan, and that there should be more than 100 enterprises above a designated size in the industry.
Last year, State Power Investment Co's (SPIC's) proton exchange membrane production line officially began operating in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ). The event is significant in that the proton exchange membrane is a core part of the hydrogen fuel cell that can determine its lifespan.
Researchers of Wuhan Lyudong Hydrogen Energy Technology Co, owned by SPIC, are currently working on proton exchange membrane research and testing, aiming to increase its lifespan to over 20,000 hours. Ni Jiangpeng, a research manager at the firm, highlighted the need for the research team to break down cognitive barriers, seek continuous improvement of professional skills, and focus on technological bottlenecks in the industry.
As one of the oldest cities in China to pursue a hydrogen energy sector, Wuhan boasts many educational and corporate powerhouses in this area. Its in-depth industry-school-research cooperation is believed to get relevant technologies on the market at a faster speed.
