(Yicai) July 4 -- About 40 percent of the world's hydrogen refueling stations were in China as of the end of last month, as the country accelerated its hydrogen energy infrastructure development, according to industry data.

China added 19 new hydrogen refueling stations in the first half of the year to reach a total of 426 ones as of June 30, according to data from hydrogen data services provider China Orange Group.

Guangdong, China's largest provincial-level economy, ranked first in the country with 68 hydrogen refueling stations as of the end of last month. Seven other provincial-level regions, including Shandong province, had more than 20 hydrogen refueling stations.

"Guangdong province has taken the lead in the national hydrogen energy industry," a senior executive at a large hydrogen energy company in Guangdong told Yicai.

For example, Guangdong is carrying out a hydrogen energy supply demonstration project along the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang Expressway that requires the construction of hydrogen refueling stations at major logistics nodes by the end of next year, the executive noted. The stations will meet the hydrogen energy refueling needs of 2,000 4.5-ton and 100 49-ton hydrogen fuel cell refrigerated trucks that will travel along the expressway by the end of the year.

With continuous technological advancements and sustained policy support, China's hydrogen energy industry has promising development perspectives, said Li Cancheng, former head of China's first commercial hydrogen refueling station.

China's production of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles soared over 55 percent to 5,631 units last year from the previous one, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Sales of such vehicles jumped 72 percent to 5,791 units in the period.

Editor: Futura Costaglione