Gwangju City Accelerates Building a Hydrogen Safety Ecosystem Foundation

Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Selected for 'Hydrogen Refueling Station Fault Prediction and Safety Management Commercialization Technology Development' Project

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 23rd that it was selected on the 2nd for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's project competition for ‘Hydrogen Charging Station Fault Prediction and Safety Management Commercialization Technology Development’ and has begun developing technology to lead the safety management field of hydrogen mobility infrastructure and to secure a global market lead.

In this regard, at a workshop held on the 18th at Mudeung Hall in City Hall, more than 40 officials from Gwangju City, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Korea Automotive Technology Institute, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Korea Gas Safety Corporation, and others participating in the project shared safety management measures for hydrogen charging stations and the project plan, and discussed future promotion plans.

The selected project is a core initiative conducted as part of the government’s ‘Comprehensive Hydrogen Safety Management Measures’ announced in December last year. It aims to develop and demonstrate technologies for information collection, fault prediction, lifespan diagnosis, and safety management of hydrogen charging stations, and to develop a real-time smart diagnostic platform for hydrogen charging stations to enhance operational soundness and usage safety.

By December 2024, a total of 13.1 billion KRW (10.5 billion KRW national funds, 1 billion KRW city funds, 1.6 billion KRW private funds) will be invested to develop the technology, followed by demonstration at hydrogen charging stations operating in Gwangju, Changwon, and Ulsan, as well as at the ‘Hydrogen Convergence Energy Demonstration Center’ in Jingok Industrial Complex to secure effectiveness. After institutionalization, it plans to expand application nationwide to all hydrogen charging stations.

Gwangju City plans to activate the supply of eco-friendly vehicles by installing three additional hydrogen charging stations this year besides the two currently operating Jingok Hydrogen Charging Station and Donggok Hydrogen Charging Station, and will add 3 to 4 stations annually thereafter, aiming to supply a total of 50 stations in major areas by 2030.

Additionally, the city is promoting the ‘Development and Demonstration of Domestic Technology for Hydrogen Vehicle and Electric Vehicle Fusion Station’ project for the localization of hydrogen charging stations and development of a Korean-style hydrogen charging station model, while accelerating the discovery of future hydrogen-related new industries.

Son Kyung-jong, Director of the AI Industry Bureau of the city, said, “This project has provided an opportunity for Gwangju to take a leading role in the hydrogen safety field. We expect it to be the foundation for realizing a hydrogen economy that prioritizes citizen safety, balances safety and industry development, and creates a sustainable safety ecosystem. With many institutions based in Gwangju participating, we will strive to revitalize local hydrogen-related companies and create many high-quality jobs.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.