Chinese provinces aim to install more than 1,200 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of next year

China could have more than 1,200 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of next year if all 29 provinces and municipalities that have set targets for 2025 meet their goals, according to research firm Interact Analysis.

If the targets are met, the total number will exceed the current number of hydrogen refuelling stations installed worldwide.

China is one of the only fuel cell electric vehicle markets to see significant growth last year, with 6,000 vehicles sold, up 72% from 2022.

Five regions - Guangdong, Hebei, Shaanxi, Jiangsu and Shandong - plan to install 100 or more H2 fuelling stations by the end of 2025, with Guangdong alone aiming to build 200 sites.

UK-based Interact Analysis also tracks some provinces that have set additional targets for hydrogen refuelling stations by 2030, including Zhejiang (89), Sichuan (80), Jilin (70) and Guangxi (50).

Guangdong and Hebei have been designated by the national government as "pilot cities" for the development of the hydrogen industry. Meanwhile, three other clusters - Beijing, Shanghai and Henan Province - are keeping pace with their targets (74, 70 and 80 refuelling stations respectively by the end of 2025), although Henan's capital Zhengzhou has set a separate target of 110 stations.

The International Energy Agency noted in its report last month that, in aggregate, Chinese regional governments' H2 production targets already exceed this national goal. While China does not offer direct subsidies like those offered in the US or EU, some analysts have noted that because many of its energy companies are state-owned, this could mean that policies are directly applied as soon as targets are set, rather than when incentives kick in.