Hyundai Engineering & Construction Participates in Korea's First 'Water Electrolysis-Based' Hydrogen Production Facility Project

Aerial view of the hydrogen production base based on water electrolysis in Jeonbuk. (Provided by Hyundai Engineering & Construction)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] Hyundai Engineering & Construction announced on the 2nd that it has been finally selected for the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's project to establish a hydrogen production base based on water electrolysis.

Water electrolysis technology is a method that uses electricity to split water into oxygen and hydrogen on a large scale. It is gaining attention as a core technology for producing clean hydrogen because it emits little or no carbon dioxide during the hydrogen production process.

This project involves constructing a facility capable of producing, storing, and transporting more than one ton of hydrogen per day through a 2.5 MW (megawatt) water electrolysis system at the renewable energy complex in Buan, Jeollabuk-do, by May 2024. It will be the largest commercial clean hydrogen facility in Korea, and the produced hydrogen will be linked to hydrogen refueling stations and other infrastructure to be used for hydrogen mobility.

A consortium was formed with Jeollabuk-do, Buan County, Jeonbuk Technopark, and Techross Water & Energy, and Hyundai Engineering & Construction was responsible for the basic and detailed design, procurement of major equipment, and construction, including water electrolysis facilities, shipment, and electrical input facilities in this project.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Engineering & Construction launched a Carbon Neutrality Task Force (TF) in December last year and has begun establishing mid- to long-term strategies and roadmaps for achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable transition. A Hyundai Engineering & Construction official stated, "To proactively lead the hydrogen industry, where early technological capability is crucial, we are taking the lead in infrastructure construction by forming a consortium with leading companies," adding, "As a first mover in the hydrogen society, we plan to respond proactively to eco-friendly future industries."

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