The Market for Hydrogen Storage in China
Hydrogen Storage in China ( Solar Thermal Magazine)
Traditionally, there are two methods of storing hydrogen. One is to store hydrogen gas by using high-pressure cylinders, and the other is to store liquid hydrogen.
In recent years, a simple new method of hydrogen storage has been developed, namely through hydrogen storage alloy (a metal hydride) which principally consists of titanium-based hydrogen storage alloy, zirconium-based hydrogen storage alloy, iron-based hydrogen storage alloy, as well as rare earth hydrogen storage alloy, etc.
Since 2005, the output of hydrogen storage materials and NI-MH battery in China has exceeded Japan as the world’s biggest producer, with hydrogen storage alloy output accounting for about 60% of global total. After 2006, China’s production of hydrogen storage alloy grew at a lower rate, with the capacity in 2014 reaching around 38,000 tons, reflecting that hydrogen storage material enterprises did not actively expand their capacity. This resulted mainly from factors below: firstly, fierce competition between enterprises due to domestic overcapacity; secondly, the prices of key raw materials such as nickel, cobalt, and rare earth fluctuated dramatically in recent years, leading to poorer corporate profitability than expected.
Now that the global NI-MH battery gradually gives way to lithium battery, China’s NI-MH battery output would shrink, thus affecting the development of hydrogen storage materials. China’s NI-MH battery output has declined for many years, with the output in 2014 amounting to 700 million units, a drop of 33.3% compared with 2010. However, with the advance in hydrogen fuel cell technologies, the growing demand for hydrogen fuel cells from new-energy vehicle is expected to drive the expansion of the hydrogen storage material market.
In the context of the integration of rare earth resources in China, China’s hydrogen storage material manufacturers are divided into two echelons: rare earth enterprises in Northern and Southern China. The former is represented by Liaoning Kingpowers and Baotou Steel Rare-Earth(Group) while the latter mainly includes Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Corporation and Xiamen Tungsten. In 2014, the enterprise with the largest hydrogen storage material capacity was Liaoning Kingpowers, with the annual capacity of 8,000 tons.
Key Topics Covered:
1 Overview of Hydrogen Storage Materials
2 Development of Hydrogen Storage Material Industry in China
3 Upstream and Downstream Sectors of China’s Hydrogen Storage Industry
4 Main Hydrogen Storage Material Manufacturers in China
5 Summary and Forecast
Companies Mentioned
– AT&M – Baotou Santoku Battery Materials Co., Ltd. – China Northern Rare Earth (Group) High-Tech Co., Ltd. – Gansu Rare Earth New Material Limited-Liability Company – Ganzhou Qiandong Rare Earth Group Co., Ltd. (GQD) – General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals (GRINM) – Guangdong Rising Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd. – Guangzhou Research Institute of Non-ferrous Metals – Hunan Corun New Energy Co., Ltd. – Jiangmen Kanhoo Industry Co., Ltd. – Jiangxi JXTC Haoyun High-Tech Co., Ltd. – Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Corporation – Liaoning Kingpowers Group – Sihui City Double Win Industry Co., Ltd. – Sinoma Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (SSTCL) – Xiamen Tungsten Co., Ltd.
– Zhangjiagang Furui Special Equipment Co., Ltd.
