Green industries have become an important engine driving economic growth.

Text | “China Entrepreneur” Intern Reporter Miao Shiyu

Reporter Ma Jiying

Intern Editor | Zhang Hao Editor | Ma Jiying

Header Image Source | Interviewee

During this year’s Two Sessions, hydrogen energy has become a hot topic in green and low-carbon development. The government work report this year explicitly mentions hydrogen energy, proposing to cultivate new growth points such as hydrogen energy and green fuels.

As the first domestic “A+H” listed fuel cell company, E-Hua Tong has witnessed the entire process of the fuel cell industry from technological breakthroughs to demonstration applications. Zhang Guoqiang, a National People’s Congress delegate and chairman of E-Hua Tong, has been deeply involved in the hydrogen energy industry for many years and has experienced the critical stage of moving from pilot exploration to large-scale, market-oriented development.

During the Two Sessions, he put forward several practical suggestions on key industry issues such as the large-scale development of hydrogen energy and accelerating the construction of a nationwide unified carbon trading market. He told “China Entrepreneur,” “Currently, the fuel cell vehicle industry has initially completed the technological breakthroughs and industrial chain construction from ‘0 to 1.’”

Among the diverse application scenarios of hydrogen energy, he especially mentioned high-speed logistics. He stated that high-speed logistics is becoming a key breakthrough for promoting the large-scale and commercial application of fuel cell vehicles.

At present, China’s hydrogen energy industry is transitioning from single-point demonstration to ecological collaboration. Zhang Guoqiang is well aware of the importance of industry coordination for hydrogen energy development. He mentioned that efforts should be made to promote full-chain collaboration among “government—vehicle manufacturers—hydrogen supply—logistics operations—financial institutions” to create a replicable and promotable industrial ecological closed loop.

Source: Visual China

Hydrogen energy, known as the “ultimate energy of the 21st century,” is of great significance in the context of China’s current green transformation. How to convert the ecological value of strategic emerging industries like hydrogen energy into economic value through mechanism innovation and build endogenous momentum for sustainable development is a core issue Zhang Guoqiang focuses on.

“Accelerating the construction of a nationwide unified carbon trading market is key.” Zhang Guoqiang mentioned that building a nationwide unified carbon trading market is a systematic project that requires breaking mental barriers, boldly exploring and innovating, stimulating market vitality, and transforming it into a new engine for economic growth.

Below is the transcript of the interview (with some edits):

Discussion on the Current State of the Hydrogen Energy Industry

“China Entrepreneur”: How do you view the current hydrogen energy industry?

Zhang Guoqiang: Currently, China’s fuel cell vehicle industry has initially completed the technological breakthroughs and industrial chain construction from “0 to 1,” and has basically established a technical system for vehicle fuel cells and onboard hydrogen systems with independent intellectual property rights.

Core components such as stacks, bipolar plates, air compressors, air circulation systems, and membrane-electrode assemblies have achieved over 90% localization. Materials like catalysts, carbon paper, and proton exchange membranes have also begun small-scale application. The overall cost of fuel cell systems has dropped from about 10,000 yuan per kilowatt in 2021 to around 2,000 yuan per kilowatt now. The pure hydrogen driving range of fuel cell vehicles has reached 600 kilometers, indicating that the technology is capable of supporting high-speed operational scenarios.

“China Entrepreneur”: You emphasized the demonstration application of hydrogen energy at high speed. What are your thoughts?

Zhang Guoqiang: Highways are the arteries of a modern transportation system. Conducting high-speed hydrogen energy demonstrations is an effective way to promote energy saving and carbon reduction in transportation, and to shift road transport vehicles from “dual control of energy consumption” to “dual control of carbon.” It is also a key measure to accelerate breakthroughs in hydrogen energy and fuel cell vehicle industry development, and to explore market-oriented commercial operation models.

Operational verification shows that fuel cell vehicles in regional trunk logistics scenarios have demonstrated reliable technical performance and good operational stability.

For example, considering a 49-ton heavy-duty truck in Henan Province: based on calculations, the current unit transportation cost of fuel cell vehicles is about 1.3 times that of similar fuel vehicles. If all highway tolls are waived (from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027, Henan Province exempts hydrogen fuel trucks on toll roads in the province), the unit transportation cost can be reduced by about 20%, saving approximately 200,000 yuan annually in tolls, which will surpass fuel vehicles in economic competitiveness.

Discussion on Scaling Up

“China Entrepreneur”: The large-scale development of hydrogen energy has attracted widespread attention. What do you see as the main bottlenecks?

Zhang Guoqiang: Using current high-speed hydrogen energy demonstrations across various regions as examples, there are still obvious limitations.

Operational scope is mostly confined within provinces or specific local areas. Cross-regional coordination mechanisms are not yet established, and the demonstration effects and radiative driving capabilities are insufficient, making it difficult to effectively support the large-scale development of fuel cell vehicle industry and to accelerate overall industry upgrading.

“China Entrepreneur”: What do you think are the core focus points for scaling up? How can industry coordination be promoted?

Zhang Guoqiang: Infrastructure construction for hydrogen energy is the top priority for high-speed demonstrations. Currently, the high-speed hydrogen supply system is immature and incomplete, which is a critical bottleneck restricting high-speed hydrogen demonstrations.

I believe that main routes for hydrogen energy should be moderately advanced in layout, with additional hydrogen refueling stations along key lines, and hydrogen production plants and pipelines should be built along these routes. Pilot applications of advanced models such as onsite hydrogen production via photovoltaic at slopes should also be carried out. Moreover, establishing a scaled hydrogen transportation network can help address regional mismatches between hydrogen resources and demand.

At the same time, efforts should be made to encourage the formation of cross-regional hydrogen industry alliances. Building a national high-speed hydrogen big data platform to integrate data on hydrogen station operations, vehicle operations, and hydrogen supply and demand will enable full-chain digital management and intelligent scheduling.

Discussion on Carbon Trading and Green Industry Development

“China Entrepreneur”: What are your thoughts on the development of green industries in recent years?

Zhang Guoqiang: Green industries have become an important engine for driving economic growth.

However, as the green transformation deepens, new challenges have emerged: on one hand, the overall costs of green industries remain relatively high; on the other hand, downstream markets have limited ability to recognize green products and services, and willingness to pay is still weak. Without effective external mechanisms to make carbon emission costs explicit, the sustainable development of green industries will lack endogenous momentum.

Although the construction of a nationwide unified carbon trading market has achieved phased progress, compared to the strategic goal of establishing a “national financial asset trading platform integrating carbon asset instant trading, efficient pricing, and digital circulation,” there are still issues such as unclear legal attributes of carbon assets, insufficient market vitality, shortage of professional talent, and incomplete supporting systems, which restrict the depth and breadth of innovation in the national carbon market.

“China Entrepreneur”: How do you understand the significance of the carbon trading market for the development of emerging industries?

Zhang Guoqiang: Accelerating the construction of a nationwide unified carbon trading market, using market mechanisms to price carbon emission rights, and clarifying the clear guidance of “carbon costs and carbon reduction benefits,” will strongly promote the green and low-carbon transformation of traditional industries, stimulate technological innovation, leverage large-scale green and low-carbon investments, and enhance the “green content” and “value” of economic development, helping to cultivate new productive forces.

“China Entrepreneur”: Some believe that the nationwide unified carbon trading market could become the third strategic element market after financial and real estate markets. What is your view?

Zhang Guoqiang: Making the nationwide unified carbon trading market a national-level financial asset trading platform that integrates instant trading, efficient pricing, and digital circulation has three strategic values.

First, achieving low-cost emission reductions through market mechanisms. Second, guiding industrial transformation and upgrading through price signals. Third, activating the value of carbon assets through financial attributes. This means carbon assets will shift from a static “compliance tool” to a dynamic “capital factor,” capable of efficient circulation and quick realization like stocks, and can be pledged, repurchased, or invested as a new type of capital element.