SK Gas Invests in 'C-Zero' for Turquoise Hydrogen Production... Accelerating Hydrogen Market Leadership

CJ Zero in the US, a company possessing core technology for eco-friendly turquoise hydrogen production
Securing optimal technology for domestic clean hydrogen production in the carbon-neutral era

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] SK Gas is accelerating its efforts to secure leadership in the hydrogen economy market.

On the 8th, SK Gas announced that it has signed an investment agreement with the U.S. company C-Zero, which holds proprietary technology for turquoise hydrogen production. Based on this investment, SK Gas plans to take the lead in eco-friendly turquoise hydrogen production technology and further concretize the establishment of a hydrogen business ecosystem.

C-Zero, located in California, USA, is a startup that possesses core technology for natural gas pyrolysis, considered essential for turquoise hydrogen production. This technology involves injecting natural gas, primarily composed of methane, into a high-temperature reactor and reacting it with a catalyst to decompose it into hydrogen and solid carbon. The hydrogen produced through this process is known as turquoise hydrogen.

Generally, producing 1 kg of gray hydrogen and blue hydrogen emits 10 kg and 4?5 kg of carbon dioxide, respectively, whereas turquoise hydrogen production does not generate carbon dioxide during the process. Additionally, when using renewable natural gas (RNG) derived from organic waste such as food waste, sewage, and manure to produce turquoise hydrogen, it is possible to achieve greenhouse gas negativity by reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. Due to these advantages, leading global energy companies have previously invested in C-Zero.

Considering the high cost of renewable energy generation required for green hydrogen production and the lack of storage space for captured carbon dioxide in blue hydrogen production in South Korea, C-Zero’s hydrogen production technology presents a more attractive solution. In the carbon-neutral era, C-Zero’s turquoise hydrogen is expected to be the optimal alternative for clean hydrogen production in South Korea.

SK Gas, which primarily operates in the LPG and LNG businesses, has announced plans to proactively establish a hydrogen ecosystem by investing approximately KRW 2.2 trillion by 2025, centered around the Ulsan hydrogen complex site covering about 140,000 square meters, as part of its transition to low-carbon businesses.

An SK Gas official stated, "To lead the hydrogen business, which is the core of the carbon-neutral era and future economy, building a hydrogen ecosystem through cooperation beyond competition among companies and countries must be prioritized. We will actively collaborate with various partners worldwide to expand global competitiveness and take the lead in efforts to establish a hydrogen ecosystem and achieve carbon neutrality."

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