Low carbon energy development is a solid requirement for decarbonization and carbon neutralization of the economy. Hydrogen energy is chosen for achieving a large degree of decarbonization in the fields of industrial, transport, and domestic consumptions. This paper provides an overview on the current state of global hydrogen production and demand, summarizes the momentum of green hydrogen development, and analyzes the possible roles of countries in the global hydrogen trade and cooperation. The status and costs of hydrogen production and transportation in China were systematically examined. While China has become the world’s largest hydrogen producer and consumer, it faces a major structural contradiction that the country’s hydrogen resources are unevenly distributed, abundant in the west but scarce in the east, making long-distance transport costs a key bottleneck for its domestic hydrogen energy development. To address these challenges, three strategic scenarios, including eastward hydrogen transmission, international cooperation, and efficient utilization of wind power for hydrogen production, were proposed to reach the goal that by 2050, the share of coal consumption will drop to 30%, and the share of non-fossil energy will increase to 50%. These scenarios will provide data support and strategic references for the precise positioning of China’s hydrogen market and the construction of a sustainable supply chain.
Shiyin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.