Highlights

• Baogang Group develops pioneering low-pressure hydrogen refueling station using rare-earth-based solid-state storage technology.
• The demonstration station can store 100 kg of hydrogen with high safety, high density, and low-pressure capabilities.
• Project aims to support green energy transition and potentially reshape hydrogen infrastructure economics through modular, low-pressure systems.

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A hydrogen-storage subsidiary in Baotou’s Rare Earth High-Tech Zone has commissioned Inner Mongolia’s first low-pressure solid-state hydrogen refueling demonstration station, aimed at day-to-day fueling for in-house–developed solid-state hydrogen forklifts and hydrogen electric two-wheelers. The project slots into Baogang Group and Northern Rare Earth’s hydrogen-transport value chain and is framed as a test bed for Inner Mongolia’s green, low-carbon energy transition.

What’s new: Unlike high-pressure gas or cryogenic liquid systems, the station uses solid-state storage (metal hydrides) that act “like a sponge,” locking hydrogen molecules inside solid materials.

The company highlights in its media entry today three selling points—1) high storage density, 2) high safety, and 3) low charge/discharge pressure—plus the ability to store across seasons. In industry shorthand: “two highs, one low.”

Station specs and design

The site can store 100 kg of hydrogen. Process equipment is intentionally simple, with a small footprint and containerized, skid-mounted integration for easier deployment—features meant to lower operating complexity and accelerate commercial pilots. The core storage medium is a rare-earth–based solid-state hydrogen material developed and produced in-house, paired with a home-grown low-pressure refueling system—an end-to-end, domestically controlled setup. Beyond routine storage and refueling, the station can activate other storage devices, run pressure-fill tests, and test internal modules, creating a hub effect for broader ecosystem trials.

Road map: Drawing on the station’s technology stack, the team is designing low-pressure solid-state “hydrogen cabinets” for dense two-wheeler zones, with the goal of supporting large-scale rollouts of hydrogen e-bikes and similar light vehicles.

Why this is a business story

• Commercial angle: The focus on forklifts and two-wheelers targets high-cycle, cost-sensitive niches where safety, compact footprint, and plug-and-play logistics matter—potentially easing adoption compared with high-pressure systems.
• Materials edge: Tying rare-earth hydrides to hydrogen infrastructure leverages Northern Rare Earth’s upstream strength and could tighten China’s integration of critical materials and clean-energy hardware.
• Modularity: Containerized, low-pressure units lower siting and safety hurdles, a model that—if it scales—could reshape refueling infrastructure economics.

Why it matters for the U.S. and allies

The U.S. fuel-cell forklift market (a beachhead for hydrogen) largely relies on high-pressure gaseous hydrogen. If solid-state, low-pressure systems prove cost-competitive and safer to operate, China’s approach could diversify the technology playbook and influence global standards, IP positioning, and supply chains—especially where rare-earth–based materials confer performance or deployment advantages.

Source: China Northern Rare Earth Group (opens in a new tab)

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