South Korea launches second hydrogen production plant

South Korea has launched a 2,555 t/yr hydrogen production plant in Pyeongtaek, its first such facility in a metropolitan area, according to the country's industry and trade ministry (Motie).

The facility can provide fuel for up to 430,000 hydrogen cars/yr, Motie said on 27 July.

The Pyeongtaek hydrogen plant is the country's second such facility, following the launch of the Changwon production plant in Gyeongsangnam-do that has been operating since the end of last year, although its capacity details are unclear.

The Pyeongtaek plant will start production from August after a test run, with it expected to reduce hydrogen distribution prices and strengthen the domestic industry's technological competitiveness.

There are currently 33 operational hydrogen refuelling stations in the metropolitan area, with Motie expecting hydrogen transportation costs to fall by about 50pc when these stations switch to getting supply from the Pyeongtaek plant rather than from more remote suppliers such as the Daesan petrochemical complex.

South Korea also plans to complete building seven small hydrogen production facilities by this year in its push to achieve its 2050 carbon-neutrality goal. "In order to cultivate the world's No.1 hydrogen industry, we plan to introduce a clean hydrogen certification system and provide institutional support such as opening a hydrogen power generation market as soon as possible," Motie's second vice-minister Park Il-joon said.

The South Korean government recently announced plans to introduce a hydrogen certification system in 2024, aiming to expand institutional support for the country's hydrogen economy. The government will also support a hydrogen-focused investment fund launched by South Korean hydrogen industry body Korean H2 Business Summit that has plans to raise 500bn South Korean won ($381mn) by the end of this year to enable it to start making investments in 2023.

By Tng Yong Li