Large photovoltaic hydrogen production project put into operation in Xinjiang

(ECNS) -- A large-scale photovoltaic hydrogen production demonstration project entered operation in Kuqa City of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with 20,000 metric tons of hydrogen produced annually, said Sinopec on Friday.

The green hydrogen demonstration project uses abundant solar energy resources to produce hydrogen. It includes photovoltaic power generation, power transmission and transformation lines, water electrolysis hydrogen production, hydrogen storage and transportation, and public works and supporting auxiliary production facilities.

The project's annual hydrogen production capacity by electrolysis can reach 20,000 metric tons, its annual hydrogen storage capacity 210,000 cubic meters, and the hydrogen transmission capacity, 28,000 cubic meters per hour, according to Sinopec.

Green hydrogen is directly produced by solar, wind and other renewable energy sources, and basically no greenhouse gases are produced in the production process. Hydrogen produced at the facility will be supplied to Sinopec's Tahe refinery to replace hydrogen produced from natural gas. It is expected to reduce carbon emissions of 485 thousand metric tons per year.

Sinopec began construction of the project in November 2021, with an initial investment of around 3 billion yuan ($414 million).