The technical characteristics and energy conversion efficiencies of hydrogen production

storage and power generation processes are presented and discussed in this paper. On this basis

combined with China's energy resources

power generation status and developing trends of new power generation technologies

the prospect of hydrogen energy utilization in the future in China is checked on two different application scenarios with coal or renewable energy as the primary energy respectively. It is concluded that the hydrogen energy will not be able to undertake the tough task to support the future energy and power development in China

while the ‘re-electrification' might be the right path. Several key measures are then be presented for addressing the issues which the future power system may face with massive renewable energy being connected into the power grid

and some key points of the research on re-electrification are also suggested.