A Sinopec refueling station is seen in Xinxiang, Henan province, in August, 2022. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

　　The nation's first factory-based seawater hydrogen production research project was completed in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, on Wednesday, said its operator China Petroleum and Chemical Corp.

　　This is a significant step by the country toward advancing clean energy technology and sustainable resource utilization.

　　The project, combining direct seawater hydrogen production with green electricity, is capable of producing 20 cubic meters of green hydrogen per hour.

　　It provides a new solution for utilizing renewable energy in coastal areas while offering a pathway for recycling high-salinity industrial wastewater, said the company, also known as Sinopec.

　　The project uses green electricity generated by a floating photovoltaic power station of the company's Qingdao refinery to electrolyze seawater into hydrogen and oxygen. The produced hydrogen is integrated into the refinery's pipeline network for refining operations or fueling hydrogen-powered vehicles, with the entire production process carried out within the factory, it said.

　　With China positioning itself as a global leader in the production and utilization of green hydrogen, industry experts expect a transformative leap in the nation's hydrogen sector, driven by declining costs, policy support and technological innovation, especially green hydrogen.

　　Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power and generates minimal greenhouse gas emissions during production.