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.