On October 8-9, the 2026 Hydrogen Energy Technology and Industry Development Strategy Seminar and Achievement Report Conference was successfully held in Weifang, Shandong. The conference focuses on the development trends, core technology breakthroughs, and industrialization implementation paths of the hydrogen energy and fuel cell industry. It comprehensively showcases the achievements of the construction of the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells and the latest achievements of the "Hydrogen into Every Household" technology demonstration project, builds a high-level industry collaboration and exchange platform, and helps promote the high-quality development of China's hydrogen energy industry. 

The conference is hosted by the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells and guided by the China Machinery Industry Federation. Ling Wen, academician of the CAE Member and chairman of the Shandong Association for Science and Technology, Peng Suping, academician of the CAE Member, Tang Bo, academician of the CAS Member, Zhang Wenhong, deputy secretary and vice chairman of the Party Committee of the China Machinery Industry Federation, Liu Yun, secretary of the Weifang Municipal Party Committee, Liang Kailong, member and deputy director of the Department of Science and Technology of Shandong Province, An Jizhi, member and deputy director of the Party Committee of the State owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of Shandong Province, and Wang Zhijian, secretary and chairman of the Party Committee of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, attended the meeting. Leaders from Shandong Province and Weifang City, experts and scholars in the field of hydrogen energy and fuel cells, representatives of co construction units, industry associations, universities and industrial chain enterprises, etc. attended.

Anchoring National Strategy

Establish a benchmark for innovative development in the hydrogen energy industry

Hydrogen energy is one of the core industries for the country to cultivate new quality productivity, build a new energy system, and lead green, low-carbon, and high-quality development. The National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells has always anchored the national hydrogen energy industry development strategy, focusing on three major directions: common key technologies, application development technologies, and testing and evaluation technologies for fuel cells. It systematically carries out technological breakthroughs, R&D iterations, and engineering verification, and strives to create a hydrogen energy industry innovation source that benchmarks international frontiers and leads domestic development. 

The attending guests, based on the overall development of the hydrogen energy industry, deeply exchanged views and discussed development opportunities in core areas such as industrial upgrading, industry collaboration, technological breakthroughs, and ecological construction. Everyone agrees that to promote the high-quality development of the hydrogen energy industry, efforts should be made to tackle key materials and core technologies, and continuously break through industry bottlenecks; To broaden the diversified and large-scale application scenarios of hydrogen energy, and create a complementary, symbiotic, and synergistic industrial pattern. At the same time, we must continuously improve the ecology of the hydrogen energy industry, break through the bottlenecks in the upstream and downstream industrial chains, gather the joint efforts of government, enterprises, research and development, deepen cross subject collaborative cooperation, continuously optimize the industrial development environment, and work together to create a new future of innovation and green development in the hydrogen energy industry. 

Expert representatives from universities, institutions, and industry enterprises delivered keynote speeches, sharing cutting-edge research results and insights into the future development of the hydrogen energy industry. Experts attending the meeting stated that under the guidance of the "dual carbon" target and the continuous empowerment of the national hydrogen energy industry policy, fuel cell technology is accelerating its iterative upgrading towards high-power, high reliability, and multi scenario applications. The industrialization process continues to accelerate, and the market application space is constantly expanding.

At the same time, experts fully recognize the construction achievements of the National Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Center in recent years, believing that the center has opened up a full chain innovation path from key materials and core components to system integration and demonstration applications, and has achieved significant results in core technology breakthroughs, standard system construction, and innovation achievements landing, providing important platform support for the large-scale development of China's hydrogen energy industry.

Release heavyweight new products

Develop a high-power fuel cell multi scenario system solution 

During the conference, the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells released new high-power fuel cell engines in the WEF200, WEF260, and WEF300 series, with a power coverage of 160-330kW. At the same time, megawatt level cogeneration products were launched to fully meet the needs of industrial applications in multiple fields and scenarios.

The new product is compatible with both graphite stack and metal stack technology routes, achieving breakthroughs in power density, energy efficiency and economy, durability and reliability, and system consistency. Its comprehensive performance is industry-leading and can be adapted to various application scenarios such as mining, high-speed long-distance transportation, port transfer, cold chain logistics, and combined heat and power supply. 

The new product has the advantage of high power density, with an optimized core stack volume power density of 8% compared to similar products, effectively improving the overall vehicle carrying efficiency; Relying on advanced system algorithms and architecture design, the product has higher energy efficiency and lower hydrogen consumption. At the same time, the new product has strong environmental adaptability and can achieve stable operation in the full temperature range of -40 ℃ to 50 ℃, as well as low temperature self starting without assistance; Overcoming the core technology of collaborative control, significantly improving the consistency of multi stack system operation, doubling the accuracy of flow deviation and voltage fluctuation control compared to similar products, ensuring efficient and reliable operation of the entire vehicle system.

The successful launch of the new product marks that the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells has the capability to provide high-power fuel cell system solutions, which can support the zero carbonization transformation of heavy commercial vehicles, green energy substitution in industrial parks, and accelerate the industrialization and large-scale landing of hydrogen powered equipment.

Aggregate industrial ecology

Building a global collaborative innovation community 

At the meeting, the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the School of Energy Frontiers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Guoneng Hydrogen Innovation Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. All parties will deepen comprehensive cooperation in areas such as joint research and development of core technologies, cultivation of professional talents, and implementation of industrialization scenarios.

During the conference, a hydrogen energy industry achievement exhibition was held in the National Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Center Industrial Park, gathering scientific research achievements from more than 30 co construction units, participating units of "Hydrogen into Ten Thousand Homes", and industry chain institutions. The exhibition focused on showcasing the latest achievements in hydrogen energy key materials, core components, stacks and systems, vehicles, fixed power generation devices, and diverse application scenarios.

Since taking the lead in implementing the "Hydrogen into Every Household" technology demonstration project in 2021, the National Fuel Cell Technology Innovation Center has focused on the integration of key technologies for hydrogen power and energy supply systems, as well as the demonstration of large-scale applications in multiple scenarios, and has achieved a series of landmark results. 

Breakthrough in core technology research and development, and enter the international advanced ranks. The project team has successfully overcome the core technology of independently preparing the entire industry chain of fuel cell perfluoroproton membranes, and the performance of domestically developed membrane electrodes has reached 0.67V@2.0A /cm²， And breakthroughs have been made in key technologies such as stack design and manufacturing, engine integration control, etc., resulting in significant improvements in core performance indicators. The maximum power of a single fuel cell engine is 330kW, operated on a 49 ton heavy-duty truck, and consumes only 7.5 kilograms of hydrogen per 100 kilometers. 

Leading the country in multi scenario demonstration, creating a benchmark model for large-scale application of hydrogen energy. The project team innovatively creates a landmark demonstration project of "hydrogen energy highway, hydrogen energy port, and hydrogen energy park". Five service area hydrogen refueling stations will be laid out along the Jiqing Expressway, and a high-density service area renewable energy hydrogen production and hydrogen thermal power cogeneration zero carbon microgrid system will be built as supporting facilities. Qingdao Port has built the world's first fully landscaped hydrogen energy port and pioneered off grid microgrid hydrogen rail cranes. Dongyue Chemical Industrial Park has built China's first dual hydrogen source cogeneration coupled microgrid demonstration system that integrates "production, storage, transmission, processing, and use". 

With the support of the national key research and development plan, the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells continues to promote the extension of hydrogen energy applications from traditional transportation to urban energy supply scenarios, landing the first 100000 household level natural gas hydrogen blending demonstration project in China, and connecting the key links of hydrogen energy civilian popularization.

At present, the project has successfully completed building and community level natural gas hydrogen blending tests, as well as multiple civil gas equipment adaptation tests, fully verifying the safety, stability, and feasibility of civil hydrogen blending applications; Simultaneously developing multiple fuel cell cogeneration systems and implementing the largest 2.5-megawatt user side cogeneration demonstration project in China.

A series of pioneering and benchmark demonstration achievements have effectively solved the pain points of difficult technology implementation and insufficient large-scale application in the hydrogen energy industry, laying a solid practical foundation and accumulating valuable experience for the industrialization and market-oriented operation of China's hydrogen energy industry.

Planning and Layout for the 15th Five Year Plan

Seize new opportunities for the development of the hydrogen energy industry

Currently, hydrogen energy has been included in the national key industrial layout for the future, and the "15th Five Year Plan" period will become a critical window for China's hydrogen energy industry to transition from demonstration applications to large-scale and commercial development.

In order to accurately align with national strategies and plan for the long-term development of the hydrogen energy industry, the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells organized the first meeting of the second Technical Committee during the conference, completed the committee's replacement work, and announced the list of new members. The new technical committee is composed of 19 industry authoritative experts, including 7 academicians. 

In addition, the conference also organized a closed door discussion on the 2026 hydrogen energy technology and industry development strategy. The attending leaders and experts had in-depth exchanges and consensus building on topics such as the development trend of the hydrogen energy industry, the future development direction and goals of the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells.

Based on a new starting point for the development of the hydrogen energy industry, the National Technology Innovation Center for Fuel Cells will always adhere to the mission of national strategic scientific and technological strength, deepen the coordinated research and development of the entire hydrogen energy industry chain, continuously improve the layout of the hydrogen energy industry chain, inject strong momentum into the national energy green and low-carbon transformation and the achievement of the "dual carbon" goal, and lead China's hydrogen energy industry towards a new stage of high-quality development.Editor/Min Jing