Several major solar power companies in China are making forays into the hydrogen sector in search of the next big investment opportunity in the clean energy sector as China has been supporting the development of hydrogen energy.

Solar power player GCL New Energy Holdings Ltd, a unit of GCL Group, recently announced its entry into the hydrogen sector. It vowed to produce 2.3 million metric tons of ammonia annually, which can supply 700,000 tons of "blue" hydrogen for the domestic market.

"Blue" hydrogen is produced by transforming methane into hydrogen plus carbon dioxide, while "green" hydrogen－also referred to as "clean hydrogen"－is produced by using clean energy from surplus renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind power.

Aiming to build itself into a comprehensive hydrogen service provider without subsidies, the company will also build 100 comprehensive energy stations by 2025 with an annual production capacity of 400,000 tons, as it believes there is huge market demand for hydrogen energy in China, said Zhu Gongshan, founder and president of GCL Group.

Hydrogen can be used to store, move and deliver energy produced from other sources, making it both powerful and efficient. It can also be used in industries like steel, refining, power generation and transportation.

To further form a complete industry chain for hydrogen energy, the company also signed strategic cooperation agreements with two financial companies to build a hydrogen industry investment fund with a scale of 10 billion yuan ($1.54 billion) and a new energy industry investment fund with a scale of less than $800 million.

Believing the next 10 years will be a golden decade for the rapid development of China"s hydrogen energy industry, many other solar giants are also making their debut in the hydrogen market.