Building Korea's First Liquid Hydrogen Production Facility in Changwon

Agreement on the Construction Project of Changwon Hydrogen Liquefaction Demonstration Plant.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jucheol In] The first facility in Korea to produce liquid hydrogen, the 'Liquid Hydrogen Plant,' will be established in Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province.

Gyeongnam Province, Changwon City, Changwon Industry Promotion Agency, Korea Industrial Complex Corporation, BNK Gyeongnam Bank, and Hana Alternative Investment Asset Management held a 'Changwon Hydrogen Liquefaction Project Contract and Investment Commitment Ceremony' at Changwon City Hall on the 6th.

The investment scale is 95 billion KRW. BNK Gyeongnam Bank will invest 61 billion KRW.

This contract and investment commitment ceremony follows the selection of Korea Industrial Complex Corporation as the preferred negotiator for the hydrogen liquefaction demonstration plant project last October, along with Gyeongnam Province, Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction, Changwon City, and Changwon Industry Promotion Agency.

The hydrogen liquefaction plant is a facility that produces hydrogen, an eco-friendly energy source, in liquid form. Currently, Korea distributes hydrogen stored in high-pressure tanks in gaseous form.

Gaseous hydrogen turns into liquid at an ultra-low temperature of minus 253 degrees Celsius. When hydrogen is liquefied, its volume reduces to 1/800, making storage and transportation more convenient and reducing the cost of building hydrogen infrastructure.

Producing liquid hydrogen requires advanced ultra-low temperature technology, and only eight countries worldwide have succeeded in commercializing it.

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction will build a hydrogen liquefaction plant producing 1,825 tons of liquid hydrogen annually on a 20,000㎡ site within its Changwon factory by 2022. From 2023, it will supply liquid hydrogen to hydrogen refueling stations nationwide.

Since declaring itself a 'Hydrogen Industry Special City' in November 2018, Changwon City has been recognized as the fastest-moving local government in the country preparing for a hydrogen energy society as an alternative to fossil fuels.

Mayor Heo Seong-moo set a blueprint in July this year to supply about one-third of all energy sources needed by Changwon City with hydrogen by 2040, transforming Changwon into a hydrogen-based economy.

Park Jong-won, Deputy Governor for Economy of Gyeongnam Province, said, “We hope this will be an opportunity for Korea’s hydrogen industry to leap forward through research and development related to liquid hydrogen and commercialization in various fields including aviation.”

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