Hydrogen power and the transition to urban energy: Addressing the energy gap for sustainable economic development in China

Hydrogen power is an important component of city energy systems that use zero carbon. The correlation between hydrogen development trends and urban China's power consumption is the focus of this research. This research introduces an innovative perspective on addressing urban energy transitions through the integration of hydrogen power into green development strategies. Applying a coupling coordination degree (CCD) method and a panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) method, it examines the spatial dynamics of hydrogen diversification, energy use, and green hydrogen potential. By 2030, the scenario study has proposed a consumption plan that strikes a balance between economic development and environmental sustainability, which is in accordance with Chinese policy. This paper illuminates the challenges of distributing hydrogen between provinces and the geographical differences in the development of hydrogen infrastructures, in contrast to previous research that has mostly concentrated on the potential for hydrogen generation. A significant finding is that there is a spatial disparity between green hydrogen potential and hydrogen development. This is particularly relevant in cities with significant energy usage. Another important finding is that hydrogen development is more important than utilization capacity alone when it comes to transitioning to renewables. Lastly, the significance of targeted renewable hydrogen initiatives is highlighted by the observation that hydrogen production, according to the Plan Scenario, is greater than in the Pessimistic Scenario. A major obstacle to future adoption is the effective transportation of hydrogen across provinces.