【Sea and River Safety Discussion】With the highest number of hydrogen refueling stations in the world, management clearly lags behind the pace of development
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Since May, a series of policies related to the hydrogen energy industry have been introduced across various regions. Regions such as Hubei, Zhejiang, and Guangdong have issued local energy development plans, all of which focus on accelerating the construction of hydrogen refueling stations and set clear goals for their establishment. Currently, the number of hydrogen refueling stations in our country ranks first in the world, and the development of the hydrogen energy industry is accelerating. However, reporters have observed that due to the numerous stages involved in the hydrogen energy industry chain, the responsibilities of the various regulatory bodies responsible for each stage have not yet been clearly defined. Although some regions have recently introduced interim regulations for the management of hydrogen refueling stations, many other regions are still in the process of developing relevant standards, regulations, and policy frameworks, resulting in management practices for hydrogen refueling stations that fail to keep up with the pace of development. Planning permits pose obstacles, and a coordinated working mechanism needs to be established. Meanwhile, the growing demand for hydrogen station construction places higher demands on the management capabilities of various regions. During the interview, the reporter learned that while policies for the comprehensive planning of hydrogen refueling stations at the **level have not yet been introduced, those regions that already have regulations governing hydrogen refueling stations still face challenges related to the improvement of existing stations. Meanwhile, regions that are still in the exploratory stage encounter numerous obstacles right from the stage of planning these hydrogen refueling stations. At present, hydrogen refueling stations in many parts of the country have been classified as gas facilities for management purposes. This means that, as gas facilities, hydrogen refueling stations must first comply with the local plans for their construction; in other words, obtaining a planning permit is a prerequisite before the relevant authorities will consider accepting an application for construction. “At present, in areas where regulations for the construction and operation of hydrogen refueling stations have not yet been established, or where such regulations are not clear, it is difficult to obtain permission for planning hydrogen refueling stations. ”Ruan Weimin, the chief engineer at Shanghai Shunhua New Energy Systems Co., Ltd., gave an example: for instance, it is very difficult to adjust the land use plan so that existing gas stations can be expanded into hybrid fuel stations due to the \"not-in-my-neighborhood\" effect ； For example, it is not easy to obtain planning permits for relevant entities to build hydrogen refueling stations in areas such as bus stations, logistics parks, and factory complexes.
Comprehensive measures should be taken to strengthen management; when building hydrogen refueling stations, both quantity and quality must be considered. In terms of the daily safety management of these stations, three issues need attention: First, it is important to avoid neglecting the importance of improving employees’ professional skills in an attempt to reduce operating costs, as this can increase the risks associated with the safe operation of the hydrogen refueling stations； Secondly, some simple, mobile hydrogen refueling stations are not constructed in strict accordance with current **standards, and the safety risks resulting from this need to be given immediate attention ； Finally, due to the tight supply of hydrogen sources in many areas, hydrogen refueling station operators often adopt an attitude of \"whatever is available is good enough,\" neglecting to ensure the quality of hydrogen. This has a negative impact on the long-term sustainable development of the fuel cell and hydrogen energy industries. “At present, many regions have introduced regional policies regarding hydrogen refueling stations based on their own specific circumstances. As industrial practices increase, relevant authorities, enterprises, and research institutions need to identify problems promptly and accumulate experience in order to continuously improve existing management methods. ”Han Difei, director of the Zhangjiagang Industrial Technology Research Institute at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that he also hopes that a top-level plan for hydrogen refueling stations at the ** level can be introduced as soon as possible. Furthermore, in Xie Jiwei’s view, the management of hydrogen refueling stations should not be limited to the stations themselves. The construction of hydrogen refueling stations requires more planning in line with the market demands in the surrounding area, using specific applications to drive their development. “Relevant companies should also not focus solely on increasing the number of hydrogen refueling stations in response to such calls, at the expense of considering market demand; otherwise, it will hinder the high-quality development of the hydrogen energy industry. ”