Hitachi Energy has delivered rectifier transformers for electrolytic hydrogen to a hydrogen industry park built by China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) in Songyuan, a city in northeast China. The transformer solution helps ensure a reliable power supply for hydrogen production from renewable energy, contributing to a sustainable energy future.

China is the world's largest hydrogen producer, listing hydrogen as a core part of its national energy strategy. It is pushing to replace fossil fuels with hydrogen in industries and promoting green ammonia and methanol production by using hydrogen. In late 2024, China released a plan to speed up clean hydrogen use in industry, providing clear steps for lowering carbon emissions and upgrading the sector.

The hydrogen energy project developed by CEEC is one of China’s largest green hydrogen-ammonia-methanol integrated projects globally. The project plans to build a 3-gigawatt (GW) new energy facility in phases using wind and solar power to produce hydrogen through water electrolysis. It then synthesizes ammonia and methanol from green hydrogen to achieve an integrated development of the entire value chain from clean electricity to hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol.

In water electrolysis for hydrogen production, the rectifier transformer is a key device that enables stable power supply and improves production efficiency. Hitachi Energy's transformer features a compact structure, low losses, and high stability. It provides excellent harmonic resistance and current impact resistance, ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective hydrogen production.

Hitachi Energy has nearly 80 years of experience in the research, development, and manufacturing of rectifier transformers. The solutions are widely used in metallurgy, alkali production, cement, chemical engineering, and hydrogen production.

Zhang Jianhua, Senior Vice President of China, Head of Greater China Hub, Business Unit Transformers, Hitachi Energy, said: “Green hydrogen serves as a key carrier for deep decarbonization in industry, effectively reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting carbon emissions.

“With our innovative transformer technology, we're pleased to support our customers in building integrated projects of renewables, hydrogen, ammonia, and alcohol and jointly driving the growth of hydrogen-based clean energy and the process of the energy transition.”

The project is among the first batch of low-carbon technology demonstration projects by China's National Development and Reform Commission. It is also a key project of Jilin Province's "Hydrogen Powering Jilin" initiative. It is expected to produce 800,000 tons of green synthetic ammonia and methanol annually.