Minghui Li, Bingquan Liu
Against the backdrop of the global energy transition and the "dual-carbon" strategic framework, hydrogen energy has emerged as a crucial facilitator for profound decarbonization, owing to its carbon-neutral combustion properties, high mass-energy density, and extensive applicability across various sectors. This paper conducts a comprehensive examination of the technological advancements within China's hydrogen energy industry chain, with a particular emphasis on three pivotal segments: hydrogen production, storage and transportation, and end-use applications. For each segment, a comparative analysis of multiple technological pathways is performed, highlighting their respective levels of technical maturity, efficiency metrics, and operational limitations. A comprehensive evaluation reveals that although China's hydrogen industry has made remarkable headway, as evidenced by the gradual integration of the industry chain, the diversification of technological approaches, and active policy support, it still faces several technical and economic challenges. These challenges encompass sub-optimal energy conversion efficiencies, high capital and operating expenditures, insufficient refueling and pipeline infrastructure, and difficulties in large-scale manufacturing and integration. To promote high-quality and scalable development, this study emphasizes the urgent need for intensified research and development on core components and materials, expediting the domestic production of critical equipment such as electrolyzers and hydrogen compressors, and fostering collaborative innovation across upstream and downstream sectors to bridge technical and operational gaps. Additionally, the establishment of a robust and long - term policy framework is regarded as crucial for mitigating investment risks and standardizing industry practices. Furthermore, this paper puts forward an integrated multimodal hydrogen transportation architecture that combines pipeline networks, liquid hydrogen tankers, and organic carrier technologies to leverage their complementary advantages, thereby achieving Pareto improvements at the system level. This optimized logistics framework is anticipated to enhance economic efficiency and supply reliability, making a substantial contribution to the realization of China's "dual-carbon" goals.