Kogas partners Korean, US firms to develop H2 industry

South Korea's state-owned Kogas has stepped up efforts to further develop the country's hydrogen industry through partnerships focusing on infrastructure and transportation, in line with a government push to increase hydrogen supplies.

This includes an initial agreement with the Korea Iron and Steel Association to develop hydrogen infrastructure, Kogas said on 24 May. The two companies will work together on various initiatives, including developing high-pressure pipes for domestic hydrogen supplies.

Safe and economical high-strength steel material and hydrogen pipes need to be developed to supply hydrogen through the high-pressure and high-capacity natural gas infrastructure that Kogas currently operates, it said.

Kogas is one of the world's largest LNG importers but is eyeing a shift from its traditional role as a natural gas supplier.

The firm plans to accelerate the development of these hydrogen infrastructure and transportation projects, with an aim of blending 20pc of hydrogen into city gas by 2026.

Kogas separately signed an initial agreement with US storage facility engineering firm CB&I to develop large-scale liquefied hydrogen storage, it said on 24 May. The two firms will also co-operate to develop technology relating to the transportation of liquefied hydrogen using vessels.

"Large-scale liquefied hydrogen land storage tank and maritime transportation ship technology will be an important cornerstone for achieving carbon neutrality," a Kogas official said.

Kogas hopes to enhance the country's competitiveness in the global hydrogen market by developing key technologies for liquefied hydrogen storage and transportation, saying that liquefied hydrogen use can accelerate developments in the domestic hydrogen sector. The Hydrogen Energy Supply Chain joint venture, which aims to develop a network for hydrogen produced from brown coal in Victoria, Australia to Japan, previously said that liquid hydrogen would be more easily handled and ideal for mass transportation.

Kogas announced plans last December to build a hydrogen production base in southwest South Korea's Gwangju. The project, which will cost 25.8bn won ($20.9mn), will produce around 1,500 t/yr of hydrogen using natural gas supplied through pipelines, which is enough to fuel 10,000 hydrogen passenger cars, Kogas said.

The firm's various collaborations are in line with a government target to supply 100pc of hydrogen demand in 2050, or 27.9mn t, with clean hydrogen and expand its clean hydrogen self-sufficiency rate to over 60pc.

By Tng Yong Li