On June 3, GCL Hydrogen Strategic Collaboration Partners Signing Ceremony was held in the GCL Pavilion at the 2021 SNEC exhibition. Strategic cooperation agreements were signed respectively between GCL Group and Siemens (China) Co., Ltd., Toshiba (China) Co., Ltd., CSSC Peric Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd., and State Power Investment Corporation Beijing Green Hydrogen Technology Development Co., Ltd. This marks GCL Group's entry into the hydrogen energy industry, another significant step since its entering into the new ecology of mobile energy in March this year.

 

Zhu Xiaoxun, Executive Vice President of Siemens (China) Co., Ltd., Zhang Tong, Vice President of Toshiba (China) Co., Ltd., Zhao Yu, Deputy General Manager of CSSC Peric Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd., and Sun Xiangdong, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Green Hydrogen Technology Development Co., Ltd. of State Power Investment Corporation, Zhu Gongshan, Chairman of GCL Group, and Zhou Zhensheng, Executive President of GCL Hydrogen Energy Division attended the signing ceremony.

According to the agreements, GCL Group will join force with the above-mentioned Chinese and foreign partners to advance scientific and technological innovations, to focus on renewable energy based hydrogen production and to promote multi-scenario use of green hydrogen in the fields of industry, energy and transportation. “It’s our vision that we give full play of our advantages in technology, talents, markets and brands. By sharing and complementing, we will be able to carry out in-depth cooperation in the field of hydrogen energy and jointly contribute to achieve the goal of ‘carbon peak’ and ‘carbon neutrality’”, said Zhu Gongshan, Chairman of the GCL Group.

The achievement of “3060” “carbon peak” and “carbon neutrality” calls for accelerating the adjustment of energy structure. To increase the proportion of renewable energy has become one dominant strategy. As one of the cleanest energy sources, hydrogen energy, especially low-carbon or even zero-carbon green hydrogen, is showing its gradually-increasing potentiality. Hydrogen energy development strategies are being introduced by countries across the whole world.

China has the opportunity to lead the development of the green hydrogen industry with its unique advantages in abundant renewable resources of wind, solar and water. In 2020, China’s hydrogen energy production and consumption both exceeded 25 million tons, making it the world's largest hydrogen producer. More than 20 provinces and 46 cities across the country have set off to plot strategies for the development of hydrogen industry. As estimated by China Hydrogen Energy Alliance, China's hydrogen demand will reach 35 million tons by 2030 and 60 million tons by 2050, accounting for more than 5% and 10% respectively of the end-use energy.

In the future, "renewable energy based and water electrolysis hydrogen production" will be the trendy model for large-scale hydrogen production. At the opening ceremony of SNEC 2021, Zhu Gongshan, Chairman of GCL Group pointed out that the brand-new triad of “silicon-solar-hydrogen”, namely to use photovoltaics to electrolyze water to produce hydrogen, is a good realization of carbon-free production of "gas energy", represented by green hydrogen. Carbon-free production, transmission, consumption and reuse of green energy will be the main trend in future energy supplies.

With power generation as itsmain business, relying on its new energy and clean energy businesses of wind, solar, storage, charging and hydrogen , technology-based GCL Group is moving towards zero-carbon technology innovations and high-end material manufacturing.Green hydrogen will be at the core of GCL’s hydrogen business.. GCL will boost the rapid development of green hydrogen industry by combining it with the company’s existing integrated clean energybusinesses.

“The combination of renewable energy and hydrogen energy will become a powerhouse for China’s energy transition We hope that we can create a synergy effect with GCL via cooperation, with SPIC’s strength in renewable energy and clean power. Together, we aim at ‘carbon neutrality’ and at achieving the development goals set by the country and the group”, Said Sun Xiangdong, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Green Hydrogen Technology Development Co., Ltd. of SPIC.

 

According to Zhao Yu, Secretary of the Party Branch and Deputy General Manager of Peric Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd. (preparatory establishment) under CSSC, electricity costs account for 60%-70% of the variable costs of Green Hydrogen. GCL group has not only the cost advantage in “green electricity” production by PV, wind power and etc., but also the technology advantages in electricity industry. “We believe that the alliance between the two parties will advance the realization of cost competitiveness for green hydrogen.”

“Development of hydrogen energy will not only facilitate the '3060 goal', but also further raise the proportion rate of clean energy consumption, and increase energy use efficiency and reserve level, which will thereby optimize the energy structure in line with promoting China's low-carbon transition,” said Zhu Xiaoxun, Executive Vice President of Siemens (China) Co., Ltd. and General Manager of Siemens Advanta China. “Siemens has set an example and accumulated rich experiences in leading the development of global low-carbon industries. From top-level planning, project implementation to business model design and carbon actuarial, we are able to provide solutions of collaborative optimization between supply and demand, empowering stakeholders in industries of power, industrial energy, construction and transportation. Siemens looks forward to working with GCL Group and its strategic partners to contribute in China's ‘carbon neutrality’ process. "

Zhang Tong, Vice president of Toshiba (China) Co., Ltd., mentioned that the growing demand for green hydrogen energy will drive developments throughout industries. Constant technology innovations and agilities in products research and development will serve as the engine. This development model requires more localized innovations that meet market needs and the collaborative efforts of partners within the ecosystem. Zhangtong also expressed the expectance for relevant government agencies to speed up the improvement of related laws and regulations, and to employ policies to encourage and support the holistic development of the hydrogen energy industry, and to establish a promotion system of hydrogen energy applications throughout industries, including the mobile transportation field.

With “carbon neutrality” as its anchoring point, GCL Group will integrate its advantages in investment, development, construction, operation and financing, join hands with its partners to provide one-stop integral zero-carbon hydrogen energy services for the customers and push forward the vigorous development of China’s hydrogen energy industry.