Hyundai Rotem: "No Issues in Operation of Chungju Hydrogen Extractor"

Establishment of Hydrogen Production Facility Utilizing Food Waste and Sewage Sludge Biogas

The Hyundai Rotem hydrogen extractor installed at the Chungju Bio Green Hydrogen Charging Station (left) and the Samcheok Hydrogen Charging Station equipped with the Hyundai Rotem hydrogen extractor (right). / Provided by Hyundai Rotem

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Pyeonghwa] Hyundai Rotem announced on the 18th that the hydrogen extractor at the Bio Green Hydrogen Charging Station in Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, is maintaining an operating rate of over 99%.

The Bio Green Hydrogen Charging Station in Chungju-si is the first onsite hydrogen charging station in Korea that produces hydrogen by utilizing biogas such as methane gas generated during the food waste processing process, supporting hydrogen production, storage, transportation, charging, and sales. An onsite hydrogen charging station refers to a method where hydrogen production is possible directly at the charging station.

In 2020, Hyundai Rotem secured an order for one hydrogen extractor, a key core facility of the charging station, and delivered it last year. The hydrogen extractor is a device that extracts hydrogen from biogas or natural gas. The hydrogen extractor manufactured by Hyundai Rotem receives biogas produced at the Chungju Food Waste Bioenergy Center through underground pipelines and can produce high-purity hydrogen of 99.995% at 280 normal cubic meters (N㎥) per hour, up to about 600 kg per day. This capacity is enough to charge 20 hydrogen buses and 120 hydrogen passenger cars.

In addition to the Chungju Bio Green Hydrogen Charging Station, Hyundai Rotem is also conducting a demonstration project for green hydrogen production using biogas. This project is carried out as part of the Regulatory Free Zone innovation project. Hyundai Rotem explained that it will directly supply biogas generated from sewage sludge at the Chungju Sewage Treatment Plant and install one hydrogen extractor at the Chungju Bio Green Hydrogen Charging Station.

The project also includes the design and production technology demonstration of a high-efficiency Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) device linked with the hydrogen extractor. CCUS technology is an eco-friendly technology that captures, utilizes, and stores carbon generated while extracting hydrogen from biogas. The captured carbon can be recycled into high value-added products such as liquefied carbon dioxide. Hyundai Rotem plans to realize true carbon neutrality without carbon emissions in the hydrogen sector, which is considered a future eco-friendly energy source, through CCUS technology.

A Hyundai Rotem official said, "We will do our best to ensure that Korea’s first hydrogen charging station utilizing biogas operates stably and is installed successfully," adding, "We will strive to lead low-carbonization across the entire hydrogen industry value chain by securing core technologies such as CCUS technology to proactively respond to global carbon neutrality policies."

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