CPC Corporation plans to introduce Taiwan's first mobile hydrogen refueling station by the end of this year. However, some industry insiders have pointed out that there are currently no regulations in Taiwan for hydrogen station installation, and suggest starting with a trial run based on international practices. The high initial costs of hydrogen vehicles will also require government subsidies to offset the costs, otherwise the produced hydrogen will have nowhere to go. Democratic Progressive Party legislator Chung Chia-bin announced the establishment of the "Taiwan and Asia-Pacific Parliamentary New Energy Promotion Alliance" today (the 17th), and simultaneously held the "Taiwan Hydrogen Energy Development Public Hearing," inviting experts from industry, government, and academia to discuss the application and future development of hydrogen energy.
CPC Corporation will build Taiwan's first hydrogen refueling station by the end of the year. Zeng Wensheng: Regulations will be formulated as soon as possible.
Hydrogen energy is one of the 12 key strategies for China's 2050 Net Zero transition and plays a key role in future energy and Net Zero policies. As the Net Zero target approaches, gasoline-powered vehicles are inevitably becoming obsolete, and hydrogen vehicles will become an alternative to electric vehicles. Hydrogen vehicles refuel similarly to traditional gasoline vehicles, requiring drivers to refuel at a hydrogen refueling station, a process that takes approximately three to five minutes.
CPC Corporation plans to install Taiwan's first mobile hydrogen refueling station in Kaohsiung by the end of this year. This station will be used in conjunction with government hydrogen transportation demonstrations. CPC Corporation stated that the mobile hydrogen refueling station features a small footprint, low investment costs, and a short construction period. It can supply 60 to 80 kilograms of hydrogen daily, enough to power approximately two large buses or 10 passenger cars.
Gas manufacturer Linde LienHwa also announced that it will introduce hydrogen energy technology this year and set up a demonstration hydrogen refueling station in Tainan's Shugu Industrial Park to provide testing for the government and related units.
However, Chen Yanyou, Head of Product Strategy at Hotai Auto, noted that there are currently no regulations for hydrogen refueling stations, making it difficult for private companies to establish publicly accessible stations. He urged the government to quickly establish relevant regulations to accelerate the development of the domestic hydrogen refueling station industry. Regarding hydrogen vehicle safety regulations, he suggested initially importing fully-installed vehicles from abroad through a special approval process, followed by the import of vehicles that comply with Taiwanese regulations.
Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Tseng Wen-sheng responded that they are currently actively dealing with relevant regulations for hydrogen refueling facilities. It is expected that foreign regulations will be used as a basis, and relevant regulations for hydrogen refueling equipment and the entire station will be completed before the CPC hydrogen refueling station is completed.
Hydrogen vehicles face high initial development costs, prompting industry players to seek government subsidies to alleviate the burden.
The high cost of hydrogen energy development also poses a significant challenge to the industry. Chen Yanyou noted that domestic hydrogen transportation is still in its early stages, and without government subsidies, operations will be challenging. For example, bus operators will only be willing to participate if the cost of purchasing and refueling a vehicle is comparable to that of a diesel vehicle. In the future, the government will gradually provide subsidies to expand the use of hydrogen vehicles to 8 million vehicles on the road.
Xu Zhenghan, Director of Clean Energy and Hydrogen Development at Linde LienHwa, stated that countries around the world provide subsidies for hydrogen investment and use. He hopes that future governments will follow the lead of European and American countries. Otherwise, "if the hydrogen produced has nowhere to go, businesses will be reluctant to produce it."
The "Global Energy Sector Roadmap to Net Zero Emissions by 2050" report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) in 2021 pointed out that hydrogen energy is one of the key technologies to achieve the global net zero carbon emissions target by 2050.
Zhong Jiabin stated that the second "Taiwan-Japan Technology Dialogue Forum" will be held in August of this year, with the theme "Hydrogen Energy and Mobile Technology." Japan currently holds a leading position in the hydrogen energy field among Asia-Pacific countries. Therefore, the "Taiwan-APEC New Energy Promotion Alliance" will not only prepare for the next forum but also serve as a bridge for future communication between industry, government, and academia to enhance Taiwan's international status in the hydrogen energy field.
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/236321)
