China Advances Green Hydrogen and Pioneers Hydrogen-Based Protein Industry

China Accelerates Green Hydrogen Development and Launches Large-Scale Protein Synthesis Projects

China's green hydrogen sector is advancing rapidly, with annual production capacity now exceeding 220,000 tonnes, reflecting over 50% of global capacity. According to Wan Yanming, Secretary-General of the China Hydrogen Energy Alliance, the country has also constructed more than 540 hydrogen refuelling stations, accounting for 40% of the world total, underscoring its leading position in hydrogen infrastructure.

In Ningxia, the Ningdong Renewable Hydrogen Carbon Reduction Demonstration Zone has consistently supplied nearly 11 million standard cubic metres of green hydrogen, achieving approximately 20,000 tonnes of carbon emissions reductions. By the end of September 2025, China's investment in clean hydrogen projects represented 30% of global total investment, further highlighting its pivotal role in the global hydrogen industry.

Technological advancements are driving down costs, with electrolytic hydrogen production falling to ¥20–30 per kilogram, nearly 40% lower than in 2020. These improvements are enabling breakthroughs in green ammonia production, long-distance hydrogen pipelines, and marine hydrogen applications. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China aims to develop 100GW of renewable hydrogen production capacity, establishing a comprehensive hydrogen energy industrial technology innovation system and a clean energy hydrogen production and supply network.

Large-Scale Green Hydrogen Protein Synthesis Project Resumes in China

China has recently completed the re-registration of the hydrogen production station for its first large-scale green hydrogen protein synthesis initiative — the Kesiketeng Banner Hebei Construction Investment Wind-Solar Hydrogen Protein Synthesis Demonstration Project. This milestone marks more than just the advancement of a single project; it represents the opening of a trillion-yuan-level industrial frontier.

Green hydrogen-based protein synthesis is reshaping food production, moving from traditional, weather-dependent agriculture to a modern energy-driven approach. Public data indicates that China's soybean self-sufficiency rate is below 15%, requiring 100 million tonnes of annual imports, which equates to 761 million mu of arable land, or 43.3% of total annual grain-sown area. Consequently, the alternative protein industry is heavily constrained by soybean import volumes. By leveraging abundant wind and solar resources in western China, the country aims to establish a “green granary” of hydrogen-synthesized protein, offering a practical pathway to mitigate protein feed shortages and strengthen food security.

From an energy security perspective, these projects also enable the local consumption and value enhancement of renewable energy. Western China, rich in wind and solar resources but limited in local energy demand, can construct green hydrogen-based protein facilities adjacent to power stations. This converts green electricity — difficult to transmit long distances — into storable and transportable ammonia and protein products, significantly increasing the economic value of renewable energy. The initiative forms a distinctive industrial chain: “wind and solar power generation → green hydrogen synthesis → protein production”, establishing a model that integrates clean energy development with food and economic security.