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Sinopec launches China's first integrated methanol-to-hydrogen refueling service

Sinopec launched China's first methanol-to-H2 and H2 refueling service station in Dalian, China. An upgrade from the previous fueling station offering oil, gas, H2, electric charging services, the integrated complex can produce 1,000 kg/d of H2, with a purity of 99.999%.

Sinopec's H2 production plant has the advantages of covering a small area, having a short construction time, and having a green, environmentally friendly production process. The new service station can save costs on H2 production, storage and transportation by more than 20% compared to traditional H2 refueling stations, and it will become a pilot model to lead the development of China's H2 energy industry.

China produces the most methanol in the world, accounting for 60% of the global total. The storage and transportation cost of methanol is also much lower than H2, making methanol-to-H2 an ideal H2 production technology.

Sinopec's solution has tackled the bottlenecks of low transport capacities, high costs and long loading times. In addition, the service station's methanol-to-H2 and H2 refueling devices has an hourly production capacity of 500 sm3, yet only occupies 64 m2 of the floor area while conventional equipment of the same production capacity would take up 500 m2 of land.

Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales has built two integrated fueling stations in Dalian's free trade area, with six more now under construction. With industry-leading H2 production efficiency, automation and intelligent capabilities, Sinopec's solution is sustainable and green—producing zero solid waste, wastewater and tail gas while conserving more energy and consuming less methanol.

"The launch of the Service Station has showed that distributed methanol-to-H2 is the right roadmap for the sustainable development of China's H2 fueling stations, it is a leapfrog development that offers a safe, reliable, green, intelligent, integrated and efficient solution that will contribute to the scaled application of H2 energy at lower cost," said Yang Junze, Executive Director of Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales.