[Haichuan Hydrogen Energy] Zhenhai Refining & Chemicals Deploys Hydrogen-Fueled Trucks for the First Time

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Recently, two hydrogen-powered heavy trucks were used in industrial applications for the first time at Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company in Ningbo, Zhejiang. This marks another demonstration application of hydrogen technology within Sinopec’s East China hydrogen industry cluster, following the hydrogen refueling stations and hydrogen-powered buses. 　　Each of the hydrogen-powered trucks put into use this time weighs 49 tons and has a load capacity of 30 tons; they are mainly used to transport various chemical products produced by Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., Ltd. Both vehicles use hydrogen fuel cells in place of high-power diesel engines, producing only water as an emission, thus achieving true zero carbon emissions and zero pollution. It is estimated that compared to diesel trucks, each vehicle can reduce carbon emissions by at least 120 tons per year. 　　“Diversified application scenarios for hydrogen energy are a key step in accelerating its industrialization, particularly industrial uses such as hydrogen-powered trucks and forklifts in the East China region. ”Zhang Furong, manager of the Business Planning Department at Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co., said, “In terms of load capacity and range, hydrogen fuel cells are more suitable for heavy trucks with high loads.” ”It is said that a hydrogen-powered truck can be fully charged in just over half an hour, and after charging it can travel more than 700 kilometers, making it more efficient than electric vehicles. 　　Sinopec told reporters that with the deployment of two hydrogen-powered trucks, the comprehensive demonstration site for the hydrogen energy industry chain that Sinopec has developed in the East China region, with Zhenhai Refinery as its main base for applications, has been further strengthened. This demonstration site will leverage the advantages of local industry-university-research collaboration in hydrogen energy in East China, bringing together five key sectors: local hydrogen production, hydrogen storage and transportation, hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing, hydrogen refueling stations, and hydrogen-powered vehicles. Its design provides a daily hydrogen supply capacity of 10 tons, and upon completion it will enable integrated industrial applications for hydrogen production, transmission, storage, refueling, and utilization. Currently, taking advantage of its hydrogen production capacity of 400,000 tons per year, Zhenhai Refining & Chemical has encouraged more than 10 research, production, and manufacturing entities in fields such as diaphragm compressors, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen refueling stations, and hydrogen-powered vehicles to participate in the development of the hydrogen industry chain. 　　It is understood that the first phase of the demonstration project – Ningbo’s first hydrogen refueling station – has been completed. Two hydrogen-powered buses are in use there, and a total of 1,998 kilograms of hydrogen have been supplied to them over the course of one year. As the only hydrogen refueling demonstration station in Ningbo that remains in operation, it can reduce carbon emissions by 1,875 tons per year when operating at full capacity, which is equivalent to planting over 100,000 trees each year. The construction of the second phase is being accelerated, and it will become the largest integrated hydrogen production center in Zhejiang Province once completed.