Assessing the Hydrogen Supply and Infrastructure Needs for China’s Hard-to-Abate Sectors on Its Path to Carbon Neutrality

Whether used as an alternative fuel or a clean feedstock, renewable hydrogen (H2) could facilitate the deep decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors, which is essential to meet China's carbon neutrality target. Nevertheless, the nationwide H2 backbone networks required have not yet been fully investigated. Employing a techno-economic analysis of solar photovoltaic and wind power on a scale of 1 km combined with source-sink matching among potential multisectoral H2 hubs, this study develops a decision support system (dubbed China Shared Hydrogen Infrastructure Network Enabler (SHINE)) to explore renewable H2 layouts commensurate with China's climate ambition, accounting for varying degrees of H2 demand and reuse of oil and gas pipeline corridors. Given total H2 demand scenarios of 54, 77, and 100 Mt/yr in 2060, the total length of the proposed trunkline networks will reach roughly 11,700, 18,300, and 29,900 km, with a levelized cost of production and transport of 1.55, 1.62, and 1.72 USD/kg, respectively. Additionally, by incorporating the spatial heterogeneities and sectoral disparities of H2 deployment expansion into the model, distinct policy instruments can be crafted for the shared nationwide H2 network.