In the important stage of the hydrogen energy industry moving towards large-scale and low-cost development, PEM electrolytic water hydrogen production technology is becoming the focus of industry competition by virtue of its advantages such as fast response, high efficiency and adaptation to volatile green electricity. Recently, another central enterprise giant in the PEM hydrogen circuit ushered in a heavy action.
on April 7, CNOOC (Shanxi) precious metals co., ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “CNOOC precious metals”) said that CNOOC’s first megawatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolytic water hydrogen production device developed by the company was recently completed and put into operation in Jinzhong, Shanxi province, marking the successful landing of the first 100 megawatt PEM hydrogen production demonstration project in Shanxi province.
According to Guo Chenglin, general manager of CNOOC Precious Metals, the device uses self-developed oxygen and hydrogen evolution catalysts, and its equipment core indicators lead the industry. After 50 hours of continuous and stable operation, the anode iridium load was significantly reduced to 0.8mg/cm², and the cathode platinum load was reduced to 0.3mg/cm², which greatly reduced the dependence on precious metals while ensuring high efficiency, both of which were better than the domestic conventional level. The rated power of the unit is 1 MW, the hydrogen purity is 99.999, and the unit hydrogen production energy consumption is as low as 4.3kWh/Nm, which is in the first echelon of the industry.
in fact,
in September 2024, CNOOC supply chain digital platform released the “MW PEM hydrogen production electrolyzer processing service” project, which was won by ludao hydrogen energy. In March 2025, the procurement of “skid-mounted auxiliary equipment for MW PEM hydrogen production system” was completed. the winning bidder was Suzhou hydrogen energy technology co., ltd. The project was put into operation, further clarifying CNOOC’s strategic investment in this field.
it is noteworthy that
on November 4, 2021, Sinopec’s first 30-standard square/hour PEM electrolytic water hydrogen production demonstration station jointly developed and constructed by the academy of stone sciences and Yanshan petrochemical was successfully put into operation, marking Sinopec’s opening up the whole process of PEM hydrogen production equipment from key materials, core components to system integration.
on December 10, 2022, Sinopec’s domestic megawatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis water hydrogen production plant was successfully started in Yanshan petrochemical, and the whole process was completed on the same day. The project has an annual output of 180 tons of hydrogen and a hydrogen purity of 99.999, marking the industrial application of Sinopec’s complete set of hydrogen production technology by proton exchange membrane electrolysis.
On December 25, 2022, Sinopec’s megawatt renewable power electrolysis water hydrogen production demonstration project was successfully put into operation in the oil field. The project to “green electricity” production of “green hydrogen”, daily high purity (purity of 99.999) “green hydrogen” 1.12 tons.
in March 2025, Sinopec will publicly display PEM hydrogen production electrolyzers for the first time at the Beijing hydrogen energy exhibition. The PEM electrolyzer has a rated hydrogen production rate of 250nm/h, and is independently developed by Sinopec Research Institute of Petrochemical Science (Academy of Sciences) and Sinopec Hydrogen Energy Machinery (Wuhan) Co., Ltd. (Hydrogen Energy Machinery).
in April 2026, Sinopec Guangzhou branch was approved to build an integrated photoelectric green hydrogen production project. it plans to build a PEM electrolytic water hydrogen production device with an electrolytic water hydrogen production capacity of about 3000 m/h, which is expected to be completed in 2028.
in March 2024, PetroChina’s first 50-standard-square/hour proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolytic water hydrogen production demonstration station developed by the petrochemical research institute completed commissioning and operation, realizing a breakthrough in PetroChina’s PEM electrolytic water hydrogen production technology from 0 to 1. The PEM water electrolysis hydrogen production demonstration station is coupled with renewable photovoltaic power in Yumen Oilfield, with a hydrogen production rate of 50 nm/h and a hydrogen purity of 99.999.
in April 2026, PetroChina’s first megawatt proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis water hydrogen production system independently developed by Shenzhen institute successfully passed the CNAS test certification of a third-party authority. The rated hydrogen production of the system reaches 200 nm/h, the maximum hydrogen production pressure is 3MPa, the lifting and loading rate can reach 10% of the rated current value/second, the hydrogen purity is 99.999, and the core performance index reaches the advanced level in the industry.
