Hydrogen policy evolution in China and globally: A spatial and thematic comparison

As hydrogen energy gains increasing prominence in global decarbonization efforts, a surge in related policy issuance has underscored the urgent need to systematically examine its evolution and structural characteristics. This study employs bibliometric analysis and topic modeling to analyze 1016 hydrogen energy policy documents, including 430 global-level policies and 586 issued by various levels of government in China. The findings reveal that global hydrogen policymaking entered a rapid growth phase after 2020, primarily driven by carbon neutrality commitments. In contrast, China's policy surge began in 2022, characterized by high-frequency issuance and strong coordination between central and local governments. Spatially, hydrogen policies show a high degree of concentration: globally, they are clustered in developed economies such as Europe, East Asia, and North America; in China, they are concentrated in coastal and central industrial provinces, while resource-rich but underdeveloped western regions remain underrepresented. Topic analysis indicates that global policies prioritize green hydrogen and international cooperation, whereas Chinese policies focus more on industrial deployment, safety regulation, and spatial planning—with moderate to high emphasis on fiscal support. Based on these findings, the study offers three key policy recommendations: (1) Establish multilevel regional coordination mechanisms to optimize spatial layout and reduce policy fragmentation; (2) Promote locally tailored development pathways aligned with regional resources and industrial capacities; and (3) Expand multi-sector hydrogen applications to enhance integration with broader energy and industrial systems.