China strives to advance green transition with trucks run on green hydrogen

China is working to advance its green transition drive by promoting trucks run on hydrogen, a convenient and clean-burning fuel.

The latest data showed that in the first seven months of this year, sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles reached 3,422, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 25.5 percent.

Not long ago, China has officially launched its longest hydrogen energy corridor, which stretches from Beijing to Shanghai. This corridor spans five provinces and cities, covering a total distance of over 1,200 kilometers.

Hydrogen-powered trucks are more advantageous in terms of mobility and environmental protection compared with electric vehicles and conventional gasoline powered vehicles, according to drivers.

"It takes around 10 minutes to fill up. Once fully charged, the truck's maximum driving range is about 600 to 700 kilometers," said Shang Miaolei, a truck driver.

The byproduct of emission from hydrogen-powered trucks is water vapor, which is a natural component of the atmosphere and pollutant-free.

The interior of the hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck is similar to that of a conventional truck. However, since it does not have an internal combustion engine, the vehicle operates less noisy and emits no pollutants.

"Compared to gasoline fueled vehicles, hydrogen-powered heavy trucks are more powerful and have better stabilization system. Its driving range is also longer than electric trucks," said Shang.

A staff member from Angu hydrogen fueling station in Daxing District of Beijing introduced the process of hydrogen fueling.

"Hydrogen fueling begins by first attaching an electrostatic clamp to the vehicle to discharge any static electricity. And the operators must also release static charge from their body. Since hydrogen is a compressed gas, the fueling gun is quite heavy. This is a hydrogen detector used to monitor for any gas leaks during the fueling process. Then we just turn it on," said Wang Yi, a staff member from the station.

According to the staff member, a large truck can be filled with nearly 60 kilograms of hydrogen in about 20 minutes. The cost is around 2,000 yuan (around 282 U.S. dollars), enabling the truck to travel over 600 kilometers.

Many hydrogen-powered trucks and cold chain logistics vehicles were spotted on the corridor, with nearly 20 hydrogen fueling stations established along this route.

China strives to advance green transition with trucks run on green hydrogen

Cities in China's Yangtze River Delta region have triggered emergency responses, including cancellation of trains and flights, road closures, and the relocation of affected civilians, after Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai on Monday, causing extensive disruption as it moves northwestward.

Bebinca, the 13th typhoon of the year, made landfall in the Pudong District of Shanghai around 07:30 on Monday morning.

At the time of landfall, the maximum wind speed near the eye of the storm was about 42 meters per second, making it the strongest typhoon to land in Shanghai in decades.

In preparation for the storm, the city had relocated over 410,000 residents, canceled 577 trains and 1,461 flights.

On Monday afternoon, the first flights landed at Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai since the two airports announced on Sunday evening that all flights were cancelled because of Bebinca.

In nearby Jiangsu Province, cities including Nantong and Suzhou have been lashed by gales and strong rainfall. Expressways in parts of Suzhou, Nantong, Wuxi and Changzhou cities were closed while reduced speed limits, toll booth closures and the closures of bridges across the the Yangtze River were also put into effect.

Over 21,000 vessels have returned to ports in Jiangsu, while more than 7,700 construction sites and 315 scenic spots in the province have also been closed.

In Zhejiang Province's eastern coastal city of Zhoushan, local authorities relocated over 44,000 residents living in the danger-prone regions.

At 15:00 on Monday, China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters lowered the emergency response for Shanghai and Zhejiang from the previous Level III to Level IV, while the emergency response status for Jiangsu and east China's Anhui Province has been maintained at Level IV.

China's National Meteorological Center said that Bebinca will bring more heavy or torrential rain to Shanghai, northern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan in the next three days.

Emergency responses triggered across eastern China in face of Typhoon Bebinca