30 listed companies with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are expected to build hundreds of hydrogen refueling stations during the year

On May 11, Premier Keqiang Li visited Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell products bringing hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) vehicles into the spotlight. At present, the development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is in the early stage of commercialization. On May 20, according to the "Technology Daily" report, the fuel cell key material catalyst industrial production difficulties, has been the Tsinghua University hydrogen fuel cell laboratory and Wuhan a technology company's joint R&D team conquered. On May 21, Shanghai announced the “Shanghai Financial Battery Vehicle Promotion and Application Financial Subsidy Program”, which is the latest policy for local hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Locally promoted the application of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and listed companies are not idle. According to statistics, no less than 30 listed companies from automobile manufacturing, traditional energy, electrical machinery and other industries have been involved in infrastructure such as hydrogen refueling stations, fuel cell systems, and vehicle manufacturing.

The China Automotive Engineering Society was commissioned by the National Manufacturing Powerhouse Construction Strategy Advisory Committee and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and the “Technology Roadmap for Energy Saving and New Energy Vehicles” (hereinafter referred to as the “Road Map”) proposes to apply 5,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2020, 2025. The application of 50,000 vehicles will reach a million vehicles in 2030.

So, what is the biggest bottleneck to truly realize the application of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles?

Import and independent research and development

The advantages of zero emission of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, long cruising range and short fueling time have prompted many listed companies to have already deployed this field.

"The fuel cell has a long battery life and is lighter than a lithium battery. It is more suitable for long-distance transportation. Compared with pure electric vehicles, the two are complementary. Pure electric vehicles are suitable for two or three hundred kilometers, and fuel cell vehicles are at 300 - 1000 km." Xun Ouyang, director of Beijing Hydrogen Chuangergy Technology Co., Ltd. said.

It is understood that the core component of the fuel cell vehicle is the fuel cell system, which is also the most distributed area of listed companies.

On May 16, Weichai Power (000338.SZ) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Siles Power (CWR.LON), a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) supplier, in Weifang, Shandong. Weichai Power also signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation framework agreement with Bosch in Germany last November.

Listed companies that introduce foreign technology include Snowman Co., Ltd. (002639.SZ), Dewei New Materials (300325.SZ), and Ocean Electric (002249.SZ).

For example, Ocean Electric became the largest shareholder of Ballard in Canada in 2016. At the beginning of 2017, Dewei New Materials' Hong Kong Dewei successfully acquired American Hybrid Co., Ltd. and controlled its subsidiary US Fuel Cell Co., Ltd. Snowman shares acquired no more than 17.6% of the Canadian hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer HydrogenicsCorp in July last year.

"Balard is the forerunner of fuel cells. Japanese companies and German companies have studied this company." Tomorrow, hydrogen energy technology company Wang Chaoyun said.

There are also a number of independent research and development technologies. Founded in 2001, Dalian XinYuan Power is the first joint-stock enterprise in China dedicated to the industrialization of fuel cells. It has undertaken the development of a major special fuel cell engine for the “863” program of the Ministry of Science and Technology. At present, the company's largest shareholder is SAIC Group (600104.SH), and other shareholders include Great Wall Electric (600192.SH), Nandu Power (300068.SZ), and Xindazhou (000571.SZ).

Zongqiang Mao, a professor at the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology of Tsinghua University and vice chairman of the International Hydrogen Energy Association, said: "The gap between China's fuel cell level and international leadership is not small. The strategy of introducing and using independent research and development is more appropriate. If you just bury yourself Dry, the gap is great."

Hydrogen station bottleneck to be cracked

In addition to listed companies, many places have also given the green light to hydrogen development.

According to preliminary statistics, in addition to the subsidy policy, the local special support for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles includes: the establishment of hydrogen energy and fuel cell automobile industry funds in Guangdong and Hubei, and the introduction of special hydrogen energy industry planning policies in Suzhou and Wuhan, Shanghai. More than 10 cities including Datong, Fushun, Jinan, Nantong, Zhenjiang, Taizhou, Lu'an, Wuhan and Xinxiang are planning to build hydrogen energy industrial parks.

Driven by funds and policies, domestic hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are rapidly developing. However, for ordinary people, the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle distance is "can go on the road" and there is still a waiting time.

In 2014, Mirai, the mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell vehicle that Toyota first put on the market, became the “opening pioneer” in the field of fuel cells. On May 11 this year, Keqiang Li visited and visited the Toyota Motor Hokkaido factory area. Seeing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, Keqiang Li focused on safety issues such as hydrogen compression storage and hydrogen station layout.

However, when the Japanese hydrogen fuel cell vehicle has entered the stage of industrialization, the domestic industry as a whole is still in the incubation period and the demonstration period.

"The main bottleneck in the development of fuel cell vehicles in China is the construction of hydrogen refueling stations." Ouyang Xun said. According to statistics, there are currently 12 hydrogen refueling stations built in the country (not counting closed), distributed in Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Dalian, Zhongshan, Foshan, Yunfu, Rugao, Changzhou, Shiyan, Chengdu and other cities. No system was formed.

"It is expected that there will be 50-100 hydrogen refueling stations completed and under construction at the end of this year, and 100 will be able to break through next year." Xun Ouyang said.

In the industry view, the addition of hydrogenation function on the basis of gas stations can effectively solve the planning and construction problems of the hydrogen refueling station, especially the land problem of the hydrogen refueling station.

“The cost of hydrogen refueling station is mainly land.” Dingyun Gao, chairman of Shanghai Shunhua New Energy System Co., Ltd. introduced. Shunhua New Energy participated in the R&D, construction and operation of Shanghai Anting Hydrogen Station, which was opened in 2007, and also participated in the Guangdong Yunfu Hydrogen Station project. At the end of this year, two hydrogen refueling stations will be built in Shanghai and Yunfu.

It is reported that the land for compliant public hydrogen refueling stations is generally 3-5 Mu, and it is difficult for enterprises to take up the land. "A series of procedures such as publicity, environmental assessment, energy assessment, and stable evaluation, if it is successful, it will take another year to get the land." Dingyun Gao said.

Since China manages hydrogen according to the standards of hazardous chemicals, the requirements for hydrogen refueling stations are strict. There is also a lack of relevant laws and regulations on the construction approval of the hydrogen refueling station. It is reported that only the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone (Hannan District) has issued the approval and management measures for the hydrogen refueling station. The relevant government departments took conservative measures with caution, and the procedures were complicated.

Without taking into account the cost of land, the construction cost of a small-scale hydrogen refueling station with a daily hydrogenation capacity of 35MPa and a daily supply of 400 kg is about 8 million Yuan, and the cost of a larger station is tens of millions.

Many places have proposed subsidies for the construction of hydrogen refueling stations. Foshan Nanhai District’s support method in April this year proposed that the armored hydrogen refueling station with a daily hydrogenation capacity of more than 350 kg will be built before the end of this year, with a subsidy of 2 million to 2.5 million Yuan; the daily hydrogenation capacity is 500. Kilograms and below, as well as fixed hydrogen refueling stations of more than 500 kilograms, were built at the end of this year, subsidizing 4 million to 5 million Yuan and 6 million to 8 million Yuan respectively.

In addition to the hydrogen station construction, hydrogen fuel cell vehicle constraints, infrastructure, industrial chain construction, policies and regulations. But despite the obstacles, after the pure electric vehicle, China's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle will also move toward industrialization. Total production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles was 1,272 in 2017, up 102 % year-on-year, the data showed.

It is reported that relevant departments are studying and formulating the development layout of fuel cells in the next five years, and initially considering the engineering and industrialization of fuel cell heavy-duty commercial vehicles as the entry point, systematically developing positive design from top to bottom, driving fuel cell technology improvement.

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