Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Hydrogen Pilot Urban Cluster Gets National Approval; Baoding Seizes New-Tier National Hydrogen Opportunity

BEIJING, China – The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban cluster, led by Daxing District of Beijing with Baoding as a key participating city, has been officially named in the national comprehensive hydrogen application pilot list jointly released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Ministry of Finance and National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

This marks another major national-level hydrogen pilot assignment for Baoding, following its participation in the 2021-2025 national fuel-cell vehicle demonstration urban cluster programme. The designation is set to give strong impetus to local hydrogen-industry growth.

Under the pilot framework, Baoding will deploy 1 000 hydrogen-powered vehicles, build no fewer than three hydrogen refuelling stations, and carry out R&D on two sets of critical hydrogen-equipment technologies. The city is expected to secure around CNY 100 million in central-government incentive funding. Drawing on its existing automotive-manufacturing and hydrogen-equipment base plus its strategic location within the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Baoding will deepen cross-city collaborative innovation in hydrogen and advance low-carbon transition in the transport sector.

Baoding’s solid industrial foundation and proven track-record of demonstration deployments underpin its continued selection for national-level hydrogen pilots. During the previous fuel-cell-vehicle demonstration phase, Baoding aimed to build itself into a national hydrogen benchmark city. It rolled out multi-scenario demonstrations alongside commercial validation projects covering hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks for aggregate transport, inter-city finished-vehicle logistics, hydrogen-fueled sanitation fleets and campus food delivery.

Over the four-year cycle, Baoding put a total of 1 065 fuel-cell vehicles into operation, completed six hydrogen refuelling stations, and issued 17 local industrial-support policies. Combined national and provincial incentive funds received by the city reached CNY 360 million.

Sustained demonstration operations have helped foster a clustered hydrogen industrial ecosystem in Baoding. Leveraging research capabilities from North China Electric Power University, the city has attracted leading enterprises and innovation platforms including Great Wall Motors, Sino-Hytec, Dingzhou Xuyang, Yixian Jingneng, Liangcheng Lidu and TeHi-Hydrogen Testing. Industry-university-research collaboration mechanisms keep improving. A complete local value-chain covering hydrogen production, storage, transportation, refuelling and end-use has taken initial shape. Sino-Hytec maintains a leading domestic position in the R&D of core fuel-cell components.

Chen Hongxing, Director of the Hydrogen Energy Office under Baoding Municipal Development and Reform Commission, outlined next-step plans. Baoding will formulate a dedicated implementation plan aligned with national pilot requirements, refine supporting policies, and finalise annual targets together with key-project lists. The city will coordinate vehicle roll-out, hydrogen-refuelling-infrastructure construction, core-technology research and hydrogen-source security.

Baoding will also strengthen coordination with Beijing Daxing District and other cluster-member cities to deliver tangible pilot outcomes. Authorities aim to develop a replicable cross-regional model for hydrogen application in transport, delivering practical experience for greener mobility, improved regional air quality and high-quality hydrogen-industry development across the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.