Sinopec’s Yangtze River hydrogen corridor strengthens China’s hydrogen mobility, expanding networks, fueling stations, and renewable projects to drive sustainable transportation growth.
On September 25, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation achieved a new breakthrough in advancing hydrogen mobility during the High-quality Development Promotion Conference for Modern Industrial Chain of Hydrogen Energy Application, held in Nanjing. At the event, the company showcased the successful completion of a 1,500-kilometer hydrogen-powered logistics journey, underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable hydrogen transport network.
The test involved three hydrogen-powered logistics vehicles of different models, which started from the Qingwei Integrated Energy Station in Qingpu District, Shanghai. The vehicles traveled along the Yangtze River, crossing through Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hubei provinces. Their final destination was the Zhijiang Service Area South Station in Yichang, Hubei, where they concluded their journey after refueling at six Sinopec-operated hydrogen stations along the way. This demonstration not only highlighted the resilience and practicality of hydrogen vehicles for long-distance transport but also reinforced Sinopec’s growing network of hydrogen fueling infrastructure.
This successful run builds on Sinopec’s previous long-haul hydrogen logistics demonstrations along the Beijing-Shanghai Corridor and the Western Land-Sea Corridor. Together, these efforts reflect Sinopec’s commitment to establishing a nationwide hydrogen corridor system. Currently, the company has launched five intercity hydrogen corridors, including Beijing-Tianjin, Chengdu-Chongqing, Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo, Jinan-Qingdao, and Wuhan-Yichang.
To improve connectivity, Sinopec has linked the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo and Wuhan-Yichang hydrogen corridors via the newly established Yangtze River route. Future plans involve expanding this network further to integrate with the Chengdu-Chongqing corridor, which would form a comprehensive Yangtze River hydrogen axis. This development will allow hydrogen-powered vehicles to travel confidently across vast regional areas while benefiting from reliable refueling access.
Sinopec’s role as a national leader in hydrogen is reinforced by its production and technological capabilities. The company currently has an annual hydrogen production capacity of 4.45 million tons. It has also pioneered the country’s first large-scale seawater-to-hydrogen project at the Qingdao Refinery and is testing advanced technologies like a 100 kW solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) pilot at Zhongyuan Oilfield.
In renewable integration, Sinopec operates major projects such as the Ordos integrated wind-solar hydrogen initiative in Inner Mongolia, producing 30,000 tons of hydrogen annually for decarbonizing coal chemical industries. Another flagship project, the 100,000-ton per year Ulanqab wind-solar hydrogen facility, will contribute to China’s first long-distance, cross-provincial pure hydrogen pipeline, setting a precedent for industrial-scale hydrogen transport.
On the mobility side, Sinopec leads globally with 146 hydrogen refueling stations and 11 hydrogen supply centers. These cover all “3+2” hydrogen fuel cell vehicle pilot city clusters, making it the largest hydrogen station operator in the world.
Looking forward, Sinopec plans to advance its “Hydrogen Highway” initiative in collaboration with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). By leveraging its growing corridor network, Sinopec aims to expand highway refueling infrastructure, stimulate the hydrogen economy, and pioneer business models that support sustainable, high-quality growth of China’s hydrogen industry.
