China's first 10,000-metric-ton green hydrogen demonstration project is now operating smoothly in Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, marking a key milestone in scaling up renewable hydrogen production.

The project, known as "Juungar Banner Hanxia Photovoltaic Hydrogen Production", has moved green hydrogen from pilot demonstration to practical application through large-scale production and integrated technological innovation. It has established a replicable industrial model, offering a new path forward for large-scale renewable energy consumption and deep decarbonization in key sectors.

It uses electricity generated from a photovoltaic base in Narisong township, with a dedicated 61.5-kilometer transmission line delivering about 740 million kilowatt-hours of clean power annually to the hydrogen production plant.

A 220-kilovolt alternating current generated by the solar facility is transmitted to the hydrogen production site, where it is stepped down and converted into direct current before entering electrolyzers. The electrolysis process splits desalinated water into high-purity hydrogen and oxygen.

About 80 percent of the electricity is used directly for hydrogen production, while the remaining 20 percent is fed into the local grid, enabling efficient local consumption and value-added utilization of renewable energy.

The project has established a full industrial chain covering photovoltaic-powered hydrogen production, hydrogen storage and transport, and end-use applications. It is capable of producing around 10,000 tons of green hydrogen and 80,000 tons of oxygen annually, equivalent to saving 226,000 tons of standard coal and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 594,000 tons each year.

The hydrogen produced has already been supplied to nearby refueling stations and chemical plants, replacing conventional "gray hydrogen" and fossil fuels in transportation and industrial applications.