Cost Competitiveness of Green Hydrogen from Cheap Electrolysers in China

Meeting international climate targets will require cutting carbon emissions from some of the toughest sectors like heavy industry and transport, where clean alternatives are limited. Green hydrogen has emerged as a promising solution, but the barrier of high production costs remains.

This talk explores how China, the world’s largest hydrogen producer, is rapidly reshaping the economics of green hydrogen. With reductions in electrolyser costs, China may soon offer the first commercially viable pathway to affordable green hydrogen.

We develop an open-source, geospatial techno-economic model to assess hydrogen production costs across China and examine its potential to export both hydrogen and electrolysers. Our findings reveal that China's Levelised Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) is around $2/kg, less than half the global average in 2023.  

With the right infrastructure and international partnerships, China could meet and exceed global hydrogen demand forecasts to 2050. This would position the country as a driving force in the global hydrogen transition, supporting deep decarbonisation worldwide.

The UNESCO Centre for Water Law, Policy & Science will host this event. 

Location: TBC and online 

Please contact [email protected] if you wish to join online.