China has started a project in Shandong province to blend hydrogen into natural gas, providing energy to 100,000 households while cutting gas use. The equipment can handle up to 30,000 cubic metres of hydrogen-blended gas with up to a 10 per cent hydrogen mix, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The initiative forms part of a national green energy push.
China has begun work on a large-scale project in Shandong province to reduce natural gas consumption by blending it with hydrogen, supplying energy to 100,000 households. The equipment is capable of handling up to 30,000 cubic metres (1 million cubic feet) of hydrogen-blended gas, allowing a hydrogen mix of up to 10 per cent in the gas supply, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Initial estimates suggest that a 10 per cent blend across urban gas networks nationwide could save around 15 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year and cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 30 million tonnes, CCTV said.
China consumed 426.5 billion cubic metres of natural gas last year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. Imports from the Middle East are vital, with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates accounting for roughly 30 per cent of its total liquefied natural gas imports last year – some 6 per cent of its total gas supply – according to S&P Global Energy.
The project aligns with efforts by the China Hydrogen Alliance and National Centre of Technology Innovation for Fuel Cell, amid a national green energy push and concerns over the global energy crisis and Middle East tensions.