Analysis of Policy Support for Hydrogen-Carbon Co-Production and CAS Technological R&D in 2026

Based on the latest information, this report provides a systematic analysis of policy support for hydrogen-carbon co-production and CAS technological R&D progress in 2026.

Led by

, Researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chairman of Shanghai Hydrogen Field New Materials Technology Co., Ltd., the team has been continuously conducting R&D in fields such as natural gas cracking-based hydrogen-carbon co-production and graphene wafer preparation [1]. This technology has received support from the and has become an important path for green hydrogen and carbon production [1].

Indicator	Current Status	R&D Goal
Continuous operation time of cracking reactor	Steadily improving	Stable operation for one month [1]
Technology readiness level	Demonstration phase	Industrialization in 2026 [1]

• Zero-Pollution Hydrogen Production
  : Compared with the traditional steam methane reforming (SMR) technology, this technology avoids greenhouse gas emissions, and simultaneously produces high-purity hydrogen and graphite under nearly zero-pollution conditions [1]
• Distributed Application Scenarios
  : It has cost and efficiency advantages in distributed scenarios such as chemical plants and hydrogen refueling stations, realizing green and high-value utilization of methane resources [1]
• “Selective Partial Reforming” Technology
  : Developed by the team led by Professor Zhou Wu from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor Ma Ding from Peking University, this technology realizes ethanol-water reforming for hydrogen production under mild conditions of 270℃, with a hydrogen production rate of 331.3 mmol per gram of catalyst per hour and an acetic acid selectivity of up to 84.5% [2]

• Timeline
  : It is expected to promote the industrialization of the technology within the next six months to two years [1]
• Demonstration Location
  : A demonstration application is planned to be implemented in
  Sichuan Province
  , which is rich in natural gas resources, in 2026 [1]
• Market Layout
  : Large-scale production will be carried out in natural gas-producing areas, and national distributed hydrogen production will be promoted in chemical industries with high hydrogen demand and hydrogen refueling stations [1]

The

clearly stipulates [3][4]:

• Accelerate the construction of a new energy system and continuously increase the proportion of new energy supply
• Promote high-quality development of clean energy and vigorously develop new energy storage
• Promote green and low-carbon energy consumption
• Hydrogen energy has been included in the category of future industries in the 15th Five-Year Plan
  and has become a new economic growth point [3]

Policy Field	Specific Measures	Impact
Anti-involution Policy	Regulate the production capacity layout of new energy industries such as photovoltaics and wind power	Ease market internal competition and promote healthy development [3]
Industry Guidance	Central enterprises lead over 60% of demonstration projects	Accelerate the commercialization process of hydrogen energy technologies [5]
Financial Support	Continuous support from the National Key R&D Program	Ensure breakthroughs in key technologies [1]

According to forecasts from industry research institutions, 2026 will be a

for China’s hydrogen energy industry [2][5]:

Indicator	2025	2026 Forecast
New electrolytic green hydrogen production capacity	Policy-driven exploration	Exceed 200,000 tons/year [2]
Cumulative national installed production capacity	-	Exceed 500,000 tons/year [2]
Total hydrogen production in China	37.5 million tons	39.81 million tons [5]
Target of green hydrogen replacing gray hydrogen	Production capacity exceeding 40GW	Accelerated progress [5]

[5][6]:

• Market size of hydrogen fuel cells
  : Expected to exceed
  RMB 7 billion
  in 2026 [5]
• Production and sales volume of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles
  : Expected to reach 5,877 units and 5,603 units respectively in 2026 [5]
• Annual hydrogen demand
  : Expected to reach 37.15 million tons by 2030 and increase to 130 million tons by 2060 [5]

Technology Field	Breakthrough Content	Research Team
Trace halogen regulation	Reduced CO₂ emissions from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis from 30% to below 1%, and increased olefin proportion to over 85%	Team led by Professor Wen Xiaodong from the Shanxi Institute of Coal Chemistry, CAS [2]
Photocatalytic hydrogen production	Solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency reaches 0.66%	Team led by Academician Zhu Weihong from East China University of Science and Technology [2]
Carbon dioxide conversion	Increased multi-carbon alcohol selectivity to 71.3% under industrial-grade current density	Team led by Professor Han Buxing from the Institute of Chemistry, CAS [2]

: Diversified development of technologies such as water electrolysis for hydrogen production and natural gas cracking for hydrogen production
: Simultaneous advancement of liquid hydrogen storage, gaseous hydrogen storage, and organic liquid hydrogen storage technologies
: Expansion across multiple fields including stationary applications, portable applications, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles [5]

• Technical Bottlenecks
  : Engineering issues such as continuous operation of cracking reactors need to be continuously addressed [1]
• Equipment Homogenization
  : Although domestic electrolyzer technology is rising rapidly, it still faces homogenized competition [5]
• Cost Pressure
  : The cost of terminal applications still needs to be further reduced [5]
• International Standards
  : Efforts to address overseas certification barriers and build discourse power in international standards still need to be strengthened [5]

1. Increase investment in basic research
   : Continue to support key technological R&D by research institutions such as the CAS
2. Improve policy incentives
   : Establish a green hydrogen cost subsidy mechanism to promote market expansion
3. Promote demonstration applications
   : Build demonstration bases in natural gas-rich areas such as Sichuan Province
4. Strengthen international cooperation
   : Actively participate in the formulation of international hydrogen energy standards to enhance discourse power

2026 is a

for China’s hydrogen-carbon co-production technology. With continuous R&D by research teams such as the CAS, the natural gas cracking-based hydrogen-carbon co-production technology is expected to achieve major breakthroughs, and the continuous operation time of cracking reactors will be significantly improved [1]. The 15th Five-Year Plan has included hydrogen energy in the category of future industries, and policy support continues to increase [3][4]. It is expected that the green hydrogen industry will shift from policy-driven to market-led commercialization in 2026 [2][5].

: Focus on leading enterprises in hydrogen-carbon co-production technology, hydrogen energy storage and transportation equipment manufacturers, and fuel cell system providers.

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[1] China News Service - “Chinese Scientists Achieve Breakthrough in Hydrogen-Carbon Co-Production Technology, Zero-Pollution Hydrogen Production Supports Energy Transition” (https://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2026/01-18/10554059.shtml)

[2] Zhuansu Shijie - “Catalysts: The Invisible Engine of Green Energy” (https://www.zhuansushijie.com/zixun/detail-dd093e94c41249958a5f33fa67f4b78f.html)

[3] Shanghai Observer - “Three Core Variables Jointly Shape the Future Pattern of China’s New Energy Industry” (https://www.jfdaily.com/staticsg/res/html/web/newsDetail.html?id=1049500&sid=11)

[4] Chinese Academy of Sciences - “Li Qingnuan: Deeply Study and Implement the Spirit of the Plenary Session, Focus on Tackling Key Problems in the New Journey of Nuclear Energy” (https://www.cas.cn/zjs/202601/t20260107_5095447.shtml)

[5] The Paper - “Analysis of China’s Hydrogen Energy Industry Chain Map and Investment Layout in 2025” (https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_32286878)

[6] Sina Finance - “2026 Energy Economic Forecast and Outlook Research Report Released in Beijing” (https://cj.sina.cn/articles/view/5952915720/162d24908067034dle)