Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Begin Demonstration of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Generation System to Complement Renewable Energy Variability

Operation of Power Generation System with Variable Load Method
Hyundai Motor·Kia Apply Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells and Doosan Fuel Cell Apply Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells Together

Park Su-cheol, Executive Director of Doosan Fuel Cell Co., Ltd. (from left), Oh Jae-hyuk, Managing Director of Hyundai Motor Company, and Woo Hang-su, Director of Ulsan Technopark, are taking a commemorative photo at the 'Completion Ceremony of the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Distributed Power Generation System for Microgrid' held at Ulsan Technopark on the 14th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Hyundai Motor Company and Kia have partnered with Doosan Fuel Cell to operate a new type of hydrogen fuel cell power generation system to complement the variability of renewable energy and promote the hydrogen economy.

On the 14th, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia held a "Completion Ceremony for the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Distributed Power Generation System for Microgrids" at the Ulsan Technopark Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstration Center and officially began pilot operations. Attendees at the ceremony included Jae-hyuk Oh, Executive Director of Hyundai Motor Company, Soo-chul Park, Executive Director of Doosan Fuel Cell, and Hang-su Woo, Director of Ulsan Technopark, among other officials.

Previously, the three companies signed an MOU in October 2019 to establish and demonstrate a hydrogen fuel cell distributed power generation system capable of responding to variable loads. In March of this year, they completed the construction and licensing procedures for the facility, and from this day forward, pilot operations of the hydrogen fuel cell power generation system will commence.

This demonstration features Hyundai Motor Company and Kia's 500 kW-class Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) and Doosan Fuel Cell's 440 kW-class Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell (PAFC) operating together, combining different types of fuel cell systems. Ulsan Technopark will be responsible for the operation and support of the facility.

Hyundai Motor Company, Kia, and Doosan Fuel Cell plan to verify the role of the fuel cell power generation system in complementing the variability of renewable energy such as solar and wind by operating the system in a variable load mode that rapidly changes power output, unlike conventional methods.

Renewable energy is an eco-friendly energy resource that can replace fossil fuels, but it is heavily influenced by natural environmental factors such as weather, making it difficult to adjust power generation according to demand, which has hindered its widespread adoption.

However, when hydrogen fuel cell power generation systems are combined with renewable energy and operated in a variable load mode, they can quickly adjust electricity production according to changes in power demand. This not only complements the variability of renewable energy but also helps resolve power supply imbalances, contributing to the expansion of renewable energy adoption for achieving carbon neutrality in the future.

Additionally, this demonstration will verify the role of hydrogen fuel cell power generation systems as distributed power sources in the future.

Distributed power generation differs from the current centralized power generation method, which generates large-scale power at distant locations and transmits it. Instead, it produces and consumes energy near the demand site. This reduces the cost burden of transmission facilities, minimizes power loss from long-distance transmission, and is relatively free from resident conflicts caused by electromagnetic waves from transmission towers, attracting attention as a future form of power supply.

Jae-hyuk Oh, Executive Director of Hyundai Motor Company's Energy New Business Promotion Office, stated, "The two companies competing in the hydrogen business sector have established a cooperative relationship through this demonstration to enhance the national competitiveness of fuel cell power generation systems." He added, "Hyundai Motor Company and Kia will continue to strive to contribute to carbon neutrality through hydrogen and fuel cells."

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