Mined-out coal capital seeks new future
Datong, the coal capital of China, has a new goal — transforming into a hydrogen hub, as the mined-out city is gradually losing competitiveness and looking for new growth engines.
“We will strive to develop new energy, with hydrogen energy at the core,” said Wu Hongwen, mayor of Datong in the north Shanxi Province.
Less noisy and more environment-friendly, hydrogen-powered vehicles have become a new favorite of China’s urban public transport.
According to China’s guideline on strategic emerging sectors in the 13th Five-Year Plan, the country will promote research and development of fuel cells, step up building hydrogen stations and achieve the mass production of fuel cell vehicles by 2020.
“Regardless of small sales, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are the opportunity for Datong to transform its industries,” Wu said. “We must seize this chance.”
The city churned out over 7.5 percent of the country’s annual coal output at its peak in 1999. Coal mining in Datong dates back 1,500 years and its modern mining industry took shape in the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
However, the heavy environmental costs have made Datong an exemplar of China’s resource-depleted cities scrambling to build new economic pillars.
Datong has put 50 hydrogen-powered buses onto its streets. The vehicles can run up to 500 kilometers and operate well at minus 30 degrees Celsius. It is building a complete industrial chain related to hydrogen energy and locking an array of enterprises in.
Wuhan HydraV Fuel Cell Technologies Co Ltd put into production its first fuel cell engine production line in Datong last year.
It is building a hydrogen energy industrial park with an investment of 2.7 billion yuan (US$380 million).
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