A hydrogen-powered robotic dog, complete with a traditional lion dance headpiece, became an unexpected star at the ongoing Guangzhou "Two Sessions" — the annual meetings of China's top legislature and political advisory body. The robot, capable of blinking, shaking hands, sitting, and lying down, was presented by Yang Qiang, the chairman of Guangdong Yuntao Hydrogen Energy Technology.

The hydrogen-powered robotic dog. [Photo/WeChat account: gz_baiyunfabu]

Beyond its playful appearance lies serious utility. Designed for tasks considered either impractical or inefficient for humans, the robotic dog can inspect power facilities within confined pipelines and patrol venues or residential areas with a level of security efficiency several times greater than that of manual labor.

Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell system, it boasts an operational endurance time of two to three hours on a single charge, doubling or tripling the lifespan of typical lithium battery-powered counterparts. Critically, its only emission is water. The company has made breakthroughs in miniaturizing the hydrogen storage system and optimizing its integration with the robot's power unit.

Yang highlighted that Yuntao Hydrogen Energy, the first company of its kind to settle in Baiyun district, has achieved 100 percent domestic production of key components. The firm plans a "scenario-first, phased expansion" strategy, initiating pilot programs for intelligent inspection at hydrogen-refueling stations and smart parks within the Greater Bay Area.

The innovation underscores Guangzhou's growing prowess in the green tech sector. Yang credited local government support mechanisms, such as fostering collaboration where "enterprises pose problems and universities provide solutions", and platforms like the Guangzhou Sci-Tech Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, for accelerating resource integration and technological advancement.