Economic Observer reporter Wang Yajie

April 15th is the final deadline for the closure of the national hydrogen energy comprehensive application pilot application channel.

On March 16th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission issued a notice on the pilot work of comprehensive application of hydrogen energy, proposing to promote the integrated development of the entire industry chain of hydrogen energy "production, storage, transportation, and use" through a series of measures.

The document was released on March 16th, and it has only been 30 days since it was fully calculated. In this month, from city leaders to clerks, everyone is looking forward to it, "said a person from the Development and Reform Commission of a western city who participated in the application for the pilot program of hydrogen energy comprehensive application to reporters.

In the past 30 days, a silent battle without gunpowder has been taking place among multiple city clusters. After summarizing and contacting local governments in multiple places, Economic Observer reporters learned that as of now, at least 15 urban agglomerations have formed teams and submitted pilot application plans.

Their goal is only one: to "squeeze" into the final five pilot spots, share a total of 8 billion yuan of central government "reward instead of subsidy" funds for the next four years, and thus hold a ticket to the next 10 years of the hydrogen energy industry.

From the Gobi Desert in the northwest to the hinterland of Chengdu Chongqing, from the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration to the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area, local government officials have repeatedly polished nearly a thousand pages of pilot application plans, carefully calculating leadership, task division, and fund allocation, and taking what they need in a coordinated manner. Behind every page of the plan lies the ambition of regional economy, the anxiety of industrial transformation, and the bold gamble on the future.

Top students in specialized fields

We are not afraid to compare resources and costs with the eastern region. What we are afraid of is being rejected in the pilot selection due to our insufficient geographical weight and short industrial chain. "A relevant person in charge of the Northwest Energy City Development and Reform Commission told the Economic Observer about their situation and strategy.

He described his city cluster as a "top student with a bias towards certain subjects", meaning that in some subjects, he can crush his opponents, but in other subjects, his weaknesses are also very obvious.

Their absolute trump card is the green hydrogen cost that eastern coastal cities cannot match.

The person in charge said, "Here, we have more than 3000 hours of sunshine per year, many Gobi deserts, no occupation of farmland, and no competition with agriculture for water. The cost of wind, electricity, and photovoltaic power can reach 1.2 to 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour, the lowest in the country. The comprehensive cost of hydrogen production by electrolysis of water can reach 12 to 15 yuan per kilogram. Do you know how much it is in Changsanjiao and Chengyu? It is 25 to 30 yuan, and Shanghai is more expensive. Just for cost alone, there is a difference of more than 10 yuan per kilogram. The core guidance of the" Notice on Carrying out Pilot Work for Comprehensive Application of Hydrogen Energy "is to" prioritize the layout of hydrogen application in the industrial field, encourage renewable energy hydrogen production to replace fossil energy hydrogen production ". We are born to step on the most central point of the policy. Ah

Another trump card is the huge industrial hydrogen scene that is incomparable in the East.

As a coal chemical base, the city where the person in charge is located has a hydrogen demand of millions of tons per year. Previously, hydrogen production relied on coal and coke oven gas, but now the country encourages green hydrogen to replace fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas for hydrogen production (policy basis: the three departments' "Notice on Carrying out Pilot Work on Comprehensive Application of Hydrogen Energy" clearly states the scenario of "hydrogen based chemical raw material substitution": scientifically constructing renewable energy hydrogen production projects to gradually replace existing fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas for hydrogen production). In the "Pilot Implementation Plan for Comprehensive Application of Hydrogen Energy" submitted to relevant departments locally, the proportion of industrial hydrogen consumption was directly reported as 92%.

The person in charge said, "We must accumulate all the points in this area," based on the rules of scenario indicators, landing scale, and quantitative scoring and evaluation of industrial quality, which will be strictly followed in the selection of hydrogen energy pilot projects using a points system and the application schemes of various urban agglomerations

The other side of the advantage is what he called 'specialization'. The local industrial chain is extremely short, only capable of producing and using hydrogen, not capable of building fuel cells, membrane electrodes, air compressors, and not capable of building complete vehicles. All key components are purchased from Jiangsu and Guangdong, and the entire vehicle is purchased from Shandong and Chongqing. There is a certain gap between this city and some cities in East China in terms of industrial chain output value, innovation capability, and patent quantity.

Talents are scarce, capital is cold, and the market is small. High end talents are unwilling to come, and financial institutions dare not invest. If the city takes the pilot program and still only produces hydrogen without manufacturing, it will always be working for the east.

In order to increase the possibility of successful competition, the above-mentioned person in charge noticed that this application is mainly based on urban agglomerations, requiring "regional connectivity, industrial collaboration, and ecological closed-loop".

For this, they brought in several other northwest cities in the surrounding area.

In his eyes, they are all small towns in the northwest, with no political weight or administrative level comparable to Shanghai and Beijing. So we have to stick together, not sticking together doesn't even qualify us for the card table.

But there is also a game to be played in groups.

For example, some cities in Northwest China require a share of heavy trucks, some require metallurgy and hydrogen storage, some require pipeline networks and scale, and some rely on demonstration of short distance hydrogen energy transportation in heavy mining areas. Each industrial layout and project indicator is directly related to the subsequent local performance assessment, cadre assessment and evaluation, as well as regional industrial investment promotion and major enterprise landing investment.

Finally, all parties compromise, divide labor among different regions, quantify all tasks, bundle performance, and form a formal cooperation agreement confirmed by multiple parties.

There is still a little fear in the local area, which is safety. Because there are many chemical industrial parks, mining areas, and hydrogen refueling stations in the northwest, with wide desert areas, low temperatures in winter, strong sandstorms, and long pipelines. If a major accident occurs, it will directly result in delisting, termination of pilot programs, and full staff accountability.

For this reason, they set up a safety team in the plan and wrote a separate chapter, which accounted for one-fifth of the application documents. For example, hydrogen production in chemical industrial areas, graded and classified supervision of hydrogen refueling stations in mining areas, Gobi isolation and intelligent monitoring of green hydrogen factories, full process closed-loop, special safety standards for long pipe trailers and hydrogen transmission pipelines, and emergency rescue systems have all been included.

He said, "We have the best green hydrogen resources in the country, the largest industrial scene, and the most practical heavy truck demand. But we also have the shortest industrial chain, the most scarce talents, and the weakest voice

The Delta That Cannot Lose

Unlike in the northwest, this sprint in the economically prosperous provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai is more like a confident 'status defense battle'.

A person deeply involved in the pilot application of the National Development and Reform Commission in a region of the Yangtze River Delta told an Economic Observer reporter, "The Yangtze River Delta cannot be lost, nor can it be lost

The person stated that the Yangtze River Delta is recognized as the top tier of hydrogen energy by the country. Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui are all strong, but this time they can only apply as one city cluster. Shanghai wants to take the lead, with strong research and development capabilities and more central enterprises, but its industrial hinterland is small and its industrial hydrogen usage scenarios are not as good as Jiangsu's. Zhejiang wants to take the lead, with strong ports and active private economy, but the completeness of the industrial chain is not as good as Jiangsu. Jiangsu's positioning is very clear: the most complete industrial chain, the most solid manufacturing industry, the most diverse industrial scenarios, the dual guarantee of green hydrogen and by-product hydrogen, and the most stable finance.

Taking Jiangsu as an example, Yancheng has offshore wind power to produce green hydrogen, Zhangjiagang has an annual by-product of 200000 tons of hydrogen, Nantong has a hydrogen storage facility like Dongguang, and the province's annual hydrogen production capacity exceeds 400000 tons. In terms of storage and transportation equipment, Guofu Hydrogen Energy, CIMC Shengda Yin, and Sinoma Technology are all located in Jiangsu. The application scenarios cover public transportation in Nanjing, port logistics in Suzhou, electric hydrogen thermal integrated energy in Changzhou, green hydrogen chemical industry and steel in Yancheng.

The confidence of the above-mentioned individuals comes from this: "We have a complete closed-loop system for production, storage, transportation, processing, use, equipment, materials, and testing, which no single city can possess

The real game takes place within the Yangtze River Delta region, where the 'three strong competition' takes place. Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu have their own demands in every detail, such as the proportion of industrial hydrogen use. Shanghai accounts for 65% to 70%, Zhejiang for 72% to 75%, and Jiangsu for 82%; The proportion of green hydrogen, Jiangsu promises to increase from 25% to 40% within 4 years; The target for hydrogen prices in Jiangsu by 2030 is 22 yuan per kilogram; The vehicle ownership is 5000 in Shanghai, 4500 in Zhejiang, and 7000 directly reported in Jiangsu, with heavy trucks accounting for half.

Jiangsu's strategy is to "speak with data and collaboration". They quickly joined forces with Shanghai Jiading and Lingang, Zhejiang Jiaxing and Ningbo, as well as Yancheng, Nantong, Changzhou, and Wuxi within the province, to form the "1+4+4" super city cluster, which is led by one province, four city cores, and four city synergy.

At a video conference in three provinces and one city this month, all parties will compete for leadership, division of labor, allocation of funds, and attribution of political achievements.

The above-mentioned individuals stated that the distribution of funds is also a matter of concern. With the central government's 1.6 billion yuan and local support, the total amount is approximately 4 billion yuan. Industrial decarbonization accounts for 40%, heavy truck accounts for 25%, green hydrogen accounts for 15%, infrastructure and technological innovation each account for 10%, and the settlement is strictly based on a points system.

Our biggest concern is not external competitors, but internal collaboration, "the person said

The sprint of Sichuan and Chongqing

A person close to the decision-making level of the Chongqing Municipal Government traced the starting point of this "30 day sprint" to the Economic Observer.

For this old industrial city in the western region, this pilot application is not just a "development issue" to add icing on the cake, but a key event related to industrial development.

The person said that Chongqing is an old automobile city, where Changan, Qingling, and SAIC Wuling are all located. But traditional fuel vehicles are shrinking, and electric vehicles have not yet taken the lead. CATL, BYD, and Tesla are not the main players in Chongqing.

The person analyzed the underlying logic: "Hydrogen energy is the only track where we can change lanes and overtake, and there is a foundation. We have Qingling's hydrogen fuel heavy-duty trucks, Changan's hydrogen passenger cars, Bosch hydrogen power, Guohong hydrogen power and other core components, and the only national hydrogen power quality inspection center in the country. If we cannot win the pilot this time, it is equivalent to the country recognizing that you 'do not have the leading qualification'. In the future, policies, funds, projects, and talents will all go to Beijing Tianjin Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong Hong Kong and Macao. If we want to catch up, we will be at least 5 to 8 years late

Another heavy pressure comes from the hard task of industrial decarbonization. Chongqing is a major chemical and steel city, and Changshou, Fuling, and Jiangjin are all high energy consuming areas. Environmental assessments are becoming stricter year by year. With pilot projects and subsidies, policies, and room for error from the central government, we can legitimately carry out hydrogen metallurgy, green hydrogen chemical engineering, and hydrogen blending combustion. This can not only achieve emission reduction targets, but also maintain the industrial chain and employment, "said the person.

The temptation of 1.6 billion yuan in real money and a 4-year policy window period is also irresistible for local governments.

More importantly, being approved as a pilot means: green channel for project approval, tilted land use indicators, pilot authority for safety supervision, and participation in the formulation of national standards.

In the view of the above-mentioned individuals, if Chongqing wants to build the "Western Hydrogen Energy Center" and "Chengdu Chongqing Hydrogen Corridor", without the national pilot brand, it will be a local self promotion; With this brand, it is a national strategy and a benchmark for the western region.

According to the regulations of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, this application must be submitted as a city cluster. So Chongqing, along with Chengdu, Deyang, Meishan, and Zigong in Sichuan, happens to be the core section of the Chengdu Chongqing Hydrogen Corridor.

The person told the Economic Observer, "The main leaders in the city have clearly stated that this is not the responsibility of a single department of the Economic and Information Commission, but a matter for the whole city and the two cities

The plan has written a large book, and the most fierce internal game is how to set the indicators - "both high enough to get points and able to complete without shame." The proportion of industrial hydrogen consumption, which the country requires to be 75%, they directly reported 82%; The number of hydrogen vehicles, others reported 3000 to 5000, they reported 8000, including 6000 heavy trucks; Hydrogen refueling stations will increase from the current 12 to 60 by 2030; Terminal hydrogen price, target 23 yuan per kilogram, advantageous area 16 yuan; The proportion of green hydrogen is promised to increase from the current 5% to 30% within 4 years.

The division of labor and coordination between Chengdu and Chongqing are also full of variables. The person said, "Sichuan wants to be on an equal footing, Chongqing needs to take the lead and control the overall situation. Finally, a compromise is reached: Chongqing takes the lead, the two cities and two team leaders, the fund pool is jointly managed, and performance is divided." Even the specific scenarios need to be clarified: heavy trucks are counted as Chongqing, public transportation is counted as Chengdu, hydrogen metallurgy is counted as Deyang, and green hydrogen is counted as Meishan, each of which is related to future political achievements, funds, and project ownership.

The special feature of Chongqing lies in the complex geological conditions of mountainous cities. The person said, "Hydrogen refueling stations, hydrogen storage wells, long pipe trailers, and chemical industrial parks are all intertwined. We have specially coordinated emergency response, fire protection, market supervision, and public security, and have written a separate chapter on the safety system: 45MPa hydrogen storage well safety standards, intelligent monitoring, emergency rescue, personnel certification, and full chain traceability. This is our bonus point and also a life-saving item. ?

But the person understands that Chongqing's shortcomings are also very obvious, with too little green hydrogen, mainly industrial by-product hydrogen; The overall vehicle size is not as good as Weichai and Yutong; Finance is not as good as in the east, and electricity prices are not as good as in the northwest.

The 'baton' behind the 8 billion yuan fund

Behind this urban competition is the policy "baton" designed by national ministries and commissions.

According to the "Notice on Carrying out Pilot Work for Comprehensive Application of Hydrogen Energy" jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other ministries on March 16 (MIIT Lianjie [2026] No. 59), the core goal of this pilot project is clear: by 2030, the average price of terminal hydrogen consumption will be reduced to below 25 yuan/kg, advantageous regions will strive for around 15 yuan/kg, and the national fuel cell vehicle ownership will reach 100000 units.

From 'supporting the hydrogen industry' to 'sending it off', the relevant person in charge of the Energy Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology clearly stated in the policy interpretation that 'this pilot is not about' sprinkling pepper ', but about concentrating efforts to discover and solve problems in the process of' using ', and' supporting the hydrogen energy industry 'and' sending it off 'again.'.

The person in charge stated that the pilot will select city clusters with good industrial foundations, rich scenarios, and strong resource guarantee capabilities through the method of "unveiling the list and leading the way", forming a comprehensive application ecology of "1 fuel cell vehicle general scenario+N industrial application scenarios+X innovative application scenarios".

Unlike previous fuel cell vehicle demonstrations, the biggest feature of this pilot project is the shift in the focus of the scenario. N large-scale application scenarios in industrial fields, mainly including green ammonia alcohols, hydrogen based chemical raw material substitution, hydrogen metallurgy, hydrogen doped combustion, etc. These scenarios use hydrogen on a large scale, which can drive the rapid reduction of hydrogen costs through economies of scale. ?The above-mentioned person in charge stated. The policy clearly requires that for urban agglomerations with industrial applications as the main scenario, the proportion of industrial application scenarios should not be less than 75%.

The central government's reward funds of 8 billion yuan are the "fuel" that drives local enthusiasm, and their distribution is based on a performance-based "points system".

In the "Financial Support Standards for Pilot Projects of Hydrogen Energy Comprehensive Application" jointly released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Development and Reform Commission on March 16, the detailed rules for reward standards show that in principle, 80000 yuan will be rewarded for every 1 point. The difference in integral weights among different scenarios is huge. In the fuel cell vehicle scenario, a standard car accumulates 1 point in the first year and then decreases year by year thereafter; The actual amount of hydrogen added to vehicles is 2.5 points per 100 tons in the first year, with an additional reward of 2 points for renewable energy hydrogen production.

But in the industrial scenario, the score is significantly increased: green ammonia alcohol and hydrogen based chemical raw materials can be replaced, with a maximum score of 5 points per 100 tons of green hydrogen application; The clean low-carbon hydrogen application of hydrogen metallurgy can earn up to 2.5 points per 100 tons, and an additional reward of 1.5 points will be given if renewable energy is used for hydrogen production.

This means that for the same hundred tons of hydrogen used in hydrogen metallurgy, the points obtained are several times higher than those in the transportation sector. The baton clearly tells the local authorities that what the country wants is industrial decarbonization and large-scale green hydrogen substitution, "said an expert from a third-party organization who participated in the evaluation of multiple urban agglomeration schemes to reporters.

This also explains why the declaration of urban agglomerations coincidentally increases the proportion of industrial hydrogen consumption to 75% or even more than 90%, and adds high scoring scenarios such as hydrogen metallurgy and green ammonia alcohol.

The rewards are tempting, but the constraints are equally rigid. The policy has established strict performance evaluation and exit mechanisms. After the end of each pilot year, urban agglomerations are required to submit self-evaluation reports, and the three ministries commission third-party organizations to conduct performance evaluations through data review, on-site inspections, on-site verification, and other methods.

For urban agglomerations that have not progressed as expected, the three ministries will take measures such as requiring adjustments to work plans, deducting or suspending reward funds, suspending participation in cities, or canceling the pilot qualification of urban agglomerations depending on the situation.

This is not a one-time deal, it's a four-year continuous assessment, "said a person deeply involved in the application from the Yangtze River Delta Development and Reform Commission to reporters

In the interview, more than one local government official mentioned concerns about safety.

The policy also has clear provisions on this: urban agglomerations need to establish and improve safety management systems, and promote pilot work on the basis of ensuring safety. For major safety accidents, punishment measures such as revoking pilot qualifications will be taken directly.

The person in charge of the Northwest Energy City Development and Reform Commission said, "Safety is a veto. One accident, all efforts are zero

According to policy regulations, the deadline for submitting pilot materials is April 15th. The leading city needs to submit the work plan and a complete set of application materials, including cooperation agreements, task commitment letters, and commitment letters from leading enterprises, to the three ministries and commissions through the hydrogen energy comprehensive application pilot management service platform. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Afterwards, the three ministries will commission a third-party organization to conduct a comprehensive evaluation, and the proposed urban agglomeration will revise and improve the plan based on the evaluation opinions before resubmitting. In the end, the three ministries will select 5 urban agglomerations based on their merits, and implement one mature plan after another. According to the schedule, the pilot list is scheduled to be announced in late April.

At midnight on April 15th, the declaration gate was closed. For the 15 city clusters, there is a period of silence. When the final list of five winners is announced in late April, a new and decisive chapter will be drawn in the regional map of China's hydrogen energy industry.