Natural gas blended with hydrogen enters the phase of scaled-up promotion

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Since 2026, the industrialization of natural gas hydrogen blending technology in China has accelerated significantly, and the country is now in a critical phase where it is moving from the pilot testing stage to large-scale deployment. Demonstration projects have been launched successively in the Northeast, East China, and North China, covering various fields such as residential gas use and industrial energy consumption. In April this year, Chint New Energy signed a cooperation framework agreement with Shenyang Gas Group, aiming to build the first natural gas hydrogen blending demonstration project in the Northeast region in Liaoning, with a hydrogen blending capacity of 10 million cubic meters, in order to explore the creation of a commercial ecosystem based on the process of \"wind power generating hydrogen – hydrogen blending through pipelines – direct supply to end-users\". In the same month, China’s first large-scale project for the use of natural gas blended with hydrogen on a scale of 100,000 households was launched in Weifang, Shandong. The project utilizes 30,000 cubic meters of hydrogen-blending equipment, which enables precise adjustment of the blending ratio between 0% and 10%, allowing for the consumption of 13 million cubic meters of hydrogen per year. In May, China’s first industrial-grade hydrogen-blended combustion comprehensive testing and validation platform, developed jointly by Guofu Hydrogen Energy and China Gas, was established and put into operation in Zhangjiagang. This platform enables precise mixing of natural gas with hydrogen at a wide range of ratios from 0% to 30%, with a maximum hydrogen blending rate of 100 standard cubic meters per hour. In June, Binhai Investment (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. signed a Framework Agreement on Green Hydrogen Supply with Sinopec Xinxing (Beijing) New Energy Co., Ltd. The two parties will carry out a series of collaborations related to the purchase and sale of hydrogen for the Ulanqab project and the hydrogen pipeline demonstration project, as well as matters concerning the incorporation of hydrogen into Tianjin’s main natural gas supply networks and the networks planned for the future. These significant developments indicate that the field of hydrogen blending in natural gas, a sector worth hundreds of billions, is growing at an accelerated pace; a systematic transformation that spans the entire chain of energy production, transportation, and consumption is quietly underway. At present, accelerating the large-scale use of natural gas blended with hydrogen is not only an important way for China’s hydrogen industry to reduce transportation costs, expand application areas, and increase its scale, but it also constitutes a systematic approach to implementing the \"dual carbon\" strategy, ensuring energy security, and enhancing the value of existing assets. Firstly, hydrogen blending in natural gas is the preferred approach at the current stage to reduce the costs of hydrogen transportation. With the rapid development of China’s hydrogen energy industry, the need for long-distance, inter-regional transportation of hydrogen sources has become increasingly prominent. Traditional long-tube trailers for transporting hydrogen can no longer meet the demands in terms of cost-effectiveness and transportation efficiency. Using the existing natural gas pipeline network for hydrogen transportation can significantly reduce initial investment and transportation costs. According to estimates by the Hydrogen Energy Branch of the China Industrial Development Promotion Association, when the blending ratio is 5%, the transportation cost per kilogram for natural gas mixed with hydrogen over a distance of 100 kilometers is around 0.5 yuan/kg (excluding the costs associated with blending at the beginning and separation at the end). This represents an optimal approach for overcoming the challenges related to long-distance, large-scale, and low-cost transportation of hydrogen in China at present. Secondly, hydrogen blending in natural gas is a viable solution for the green transformation of energy use in industry and households. Multiple research findings and project experiences show that when the hydrogen content is no more than 5%, existing steel and polyethylene gas pipelines, as well as end devices such as industrial furnaces and household gas stoves, can achieve a \"seamless\" transition without major modifications. At the same time, although the volumetric calorific value of hydrogen is only about 1/3 that of natural gas, its fast burning rate and high flame temperature allow for more complete combustion when used in low proportions, thereby compensating for the reduced calorific value of the blended fuel by improving thermal efficiency. Therefore, introducing low proportions of natural gas mixed with hydrogen and gradually increasing this mixing ratio represents a viable approach for achieving deep decarbonization in China’s industries, construction sector, and other fields. China’s natural gas consumption is around 430 billion cubic meters per year; if 5% hydrogen is blended in, it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 46 million tons per year. Thirdly, hydrogen blending in natural gas is an important approach for China to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. China’s dependence on imported natural gas has remained high for a long time. As the vulnerabilities in the global energy supply system and the complexities associated with energy security risks have become increasingly apparent in recent years, accelerating the energy transition has become an important factor in ensuring the stable and sustainable development of the economy and society. By blending hydrogen into natural gas, reliance on foreign natural gas can be effectively reduced, and the capacity to utilize renewable energy can be increased. Based on a blending ratio of 5%, it is possible to replace approximately 10% of imported natural gas annually; if green hydrogen is used entirely, more than 100 billion kWh of green electricity can be utilized each year. Fourth, hydrogen blending in natural gas is a key measure to activate existing pipeline infrastructure. Data shows that the total length of gas pipelines in our country has exceeded 1 million kilometers, of which the length of long-distance natural gas pipelines is around 130,000 kilometers; the value of these existing assets is enormous. Low-proportion hydrogen blending in transportation allows existing pipeline networks to be transformed into channels for transporting clean energy, without the need for extensive modifications. This approach not only reduces the infrastructure costs associated with the initial stages of industrial development but also facilitates the integration of traditional gas pipelines with the national hydrogen industry framework, thereby enabling the value revaluation and green upgrading of trillions in existing assets. Overall, accelerating the large-scale use of hydrogen blended in natural gas is an energy transition pathway that fits China’s national conditions at this stage and holds great practical value. It is not only a \"green bridge\" connecting renewable energy sources with end-users, but also a crucial support for ensuring that China achieves its carbon peak target on schedule during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, driving the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy system, and promoting the scaled development of the hydrogen industry.