Empowering a sustainable future: Quantitative evaluation and practical pathways of China’s hydrogen energy industry policies

Abstract

Hydrogen energy, a green, low-carbon secondary source, is pivotal to the global energy transition and a national strategy in China under the Dual Carbon goals. However, the sector faces weak innovation and imperfect standards. This study aims to assess policy performance to identify governance gaps and optimization pathways. This paper adopts the ROSTCM6 text-mining tool and the PMC index model to construct a comprehensive, quantitative framework. It evaluates eight Chinese hydrogen policies issued from 2021 to 2025 and benchmarks the highest-ranked domestic policy against those of three other countries. The evaluation results reveal notable hierarchical administrative disparities across China's hydrogen policies, coupled with insufficient coverage spanning the upstream, midstream, and downstream segments. Moreover, the enforceability of local policy measures remains generally weak. Critically, the country displays distinct deficiencies in specialized legislation and international multilateral coordination. The study confirms that, while China holds quantitative advantages, structural weaknesses in systemic coordination and legal foundation persist, which ultimately impede the high-quality development of the hydrogen industry. To optimize policy effectiveness, this paper suggests establishing a three-tier legal governance system, deepening international standard alignment, and innovating fiscal and regulatory instruments. These practical recommendations are vital for promoting industrial upgrading and securing national long-term energy interests.