Yunnan's First Hydrogen-Power Coupling Demonstration Project Enters Operation

On October 20, 2026, Yunnan Province’s first hydrogen-power coupling demonstration project was connected to the grid and officially commissioned in Fubao Community, Guandu District, Kunming. The project was funded and built by the Kunming Power Supply Bureau of Yunnan under China Southern Power Grid.

Located on Fubao Peninsula, the largest peninsula along Dianchi Lake, the facility connects directly to Fubao Village’s low-voltage distribution network. Its integrated equipment includes proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, solid-state hydrogen storage units and fuel cell combined heat and power (CHP) modules.

The project uses a bidirectional power-to-hydrogen-to-power conversion system. During the day, surplus photovoltaic electricity powers water electrolysis to produce green hydrogen, which is then stored using solid-state hydrogen storage technology. During periods of peak electricity demand or cloudy, rainy weather, fuel cells convert the stored hydrogen back into electricity and heat for supply to external users.

Through repeated charging and discharging cycles, the system can help smooth fluctuations in renewable power generation, support grid stability and enable seasonal and long-duration energy balancing.

Fubao Village also brings together three elements of a modern power system: low-voltage network interconnection, intelligent Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring and hydrogen storage. The project enables seasonal energy balancing, with hydrogen production during low-demand seasons and power generation during peak-demand seasons, creating a zero-carbon energy cycle linking green electricity and green hydrogen.

Fubao Village is also accelerating its transformation into a tourism hub on the shores of Dianchi Lake, with a focus on integrating agriculture, culture, wellness and tourism. Homestays, commercial streets and other tourism developments are being established, while approximately 40% of local electricity users have shifted to operating homestays or commercial businesses, driving continued growth in electricity demand.

“During the project’s construction, Fubao Peninsula integrated power and communications infrastructure to advance network convergence, energy sharing and low-carbon management, creating a modern green power grid through government-enterprise collaboration,” said Wang Qiang, a specialist in smart distribution network planning and new energy services at the Planning and Development Department of the Kunming Power Supply Bureau.

To meet the peninsula’s growing energy needs, the bureau has adopted a collaborative model under which the government provides infrastructure corridors while the power utility installs equipment. The plan covers the installation of new box-type transformers and the upgrading or replacement of existing units, involving nine transformers in total. The upgrades are expected to increase the area’s total transformer capacity to 15,440 kVA.

The project also includes optimization of the medium-voltage network and upgrades to improve the visibility and monitoring of the low-voltage network, creating a more resilient ring-network power supply structure. Low-voltage interconnection devices and intelligent IoT switches will enable power supply transfers within seconds in the event of faults and improve monitoring across the distribution network.

Once fully commissioned, the project is expected to improve electricity supply reliability and capacity across Fubao Peninsula, providing a cleaner and more reliable energy supply to support the development of the local tourism industry.

Source: Kunming Power Supply Bureau