Pohang City Presents 'Hydrogen City' Card... Establishing Foundation for Eco-Friendly Hydrogen Energy Industry City, Opening Hydrogen Era

Pohang City's Plan to Establish a Hydrogen City.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Yong-woo] Pohang City is intensifying its eco-friendly hydrogen energy industry project.

On the 19th, Pohang City announced that it has designated the hydrogen economy as a new growth engine for sustainable development in the era of climate change and is concentrating all its efforts on establishing a foundation for an "eco-friendly hydrogen energy industry city."

The new government has shifted its energy policy direction to foster the world's top hydrogen industry through self-reliance in high value-added core technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen vehicles, which have high growth potential. Pohang City is also working on nurturing related industries and establishing infrastructure for the realization of a hydrogen society in the mid to long term.

First, Pohang has been selected as a target project for the government's preliminary feasibility study for the "Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Generation Cluster" construction project, and results are expected to be announced within the year.

If selected for the feasibility study, 189 billion KRW will be invested from next year until 2027 to build a hydrogen fuel cell enterprise support center encompassing 30 specialized hydrogen companies, 20 types of parts and materials performance evaluation equipment, and a fuel cell demonstration complex.

In addition, there is the "Hydrogen Fuel Cell Certification Center," which is preparing to become a KS certification testing institution following its designation as an internationally accredited testing institution (KOLAS) in the fuel cell field. Pohang also boasts excellent hydrogen industry capabilities with POSCO, POSTECH, Handong University, Pohang Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Pohang Technopark, and Pohang Metal Materials Industry Promotion Agency.

The city plans to establish the foundation for a hydrogen energy industry city divided into four major sectors: △ hydrogen production, transportation, and supply infrastructure △ hydrogen energy industry promotion △ hydrogen charging mobility △ hydrogen safety, certification, and workforce development.

The hydrogen production, transportation, and supply infrastructure includes △ by-product hydrogen production base (POSCO), hydrogen pipeline network construction, and ammonia decomposition hydrogen production base establishment. The hydrogen energy industry promotion involves building the hydrogen fuel cell cluster, expanding the distribution of fuel cells for homes and buildings, nurturing prospective hydrogen specialized companies, and designating hydrogen-specialized complexes.

For hydrogen charging mobility, the city is promoting the establishment of a foundation for the spread of hydrogen electric vehicles and hydrogen charging stations, as well as phased introduction of hydrogen buses. For hydrogen safety, certification, and workforce development, it aims to advance the hydrogen fuel cell certification center and cultivate specialized personnel in the hydrogen energy industry.

According to the "Pohang City Ordinance on the Promotion and Support of the Hydrogen Industry," the city is conducting a research project to establish a basic plan for hydrogen industry promotion that considers government policies and regional characteristics.

Based on the research results, the city plans to systematically and continuously foster the hydrogen energy industry starting next year.

Pohang City is accelerating the "Hydrogen City" creation project. Selected as a hydrogen city project by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2023, it will invest 41.6 billion KRW from 2023 to 2026 to implement various detailed projects such as establishing a hydrogen city master plan, constructing a hydrogen pipeline network, demonstrating fuel cells for homes and buildings, introducing hydrogen charging stations and hydrogen buses, building an integrated hydrogen city safety center, operating hydrogen city governance, and regional specialized projects.

In addition, on December 7, 2022, the city will hold the "2022 Pohang International Hydrogen Fuel Cell Forum," where it will explore strategies for the development of Pohang's hydrogen industry under the theme of the hydrogen fuel cell cluster.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok of Pohang said, "Along with bio and batteries, we plan to actively foster the hydrogen industry as one of Pohang's innovative new growth industries," adding, "We will focus our capabilities on establishing a foundation for an eco-friendly hydrogen energy industry city where hydrogen, industry, and the city are integrated."

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