Gangwon Liquefied Hydrogen Special Zone Begins Demonstration of 'Production Facilities and Fixed Charging Stations'

Demonstration of Related Technology Development and Regulatory Law Improvement in Parallel
Mobile Charging Stations, Ships, and Wildfire Monitoring Drone Flight Demonstrations to Begin Within the Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] For the first time in Korea, the full-cycle industrial commercialization from liquefied hydrogen production to storage, transportation, and utilization will be actively promoted in Gangwon Province.

Gangwon Province announced on the 8th that "the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Gangwon Liquefied Hydrogen Industry Regulatory Free Zone will commence the demonstration of 'liquefied hydrogen production' and 'fixed-type charging station' manufacturing on the 9th."

The liquefied hydrogen production facility and fixed-type liquefied hydrogen charging station aim to establish a facility that produces about 200 kg of liquefied hydrogen daily, and then introduce a liquefied hydrogen storage tank, a high-density storage method, to the conventional gaseous hydrogen (high-pressure) charging stations to build an urban-type (small area) hydrogen charging station.

To this end, the province plans to design cryogenic refrigeration equipment, hydrogen gas expansion devices, safety devices, and control systems to stabilize the infrastructure for liquefied hydrogen production facilities.

The fixed-type liquefied hydrogen charging station plans to secure operational economic efficiency and safety by adjusting the transported liquefied hydrogen to an appropriate compression efficiency after the first demonstration.

In addition to this demonstration commencement, the mobile liquefied hydrogen charging station and mobility (ships and drones) manufacturing and operation will enter demonstration within the year by preparing internal safety standards through consultations with related organizations.

Accordingly, it is expected that the hydrogen storage and transportation cluster being promoted within Gangwon Province and the government’s key projects will gain momentum.

Meanwhile, the 'Gangwon Liquefied Hydrogen Regulatory Free Zone' aims for full-cycle industrial commercialization through demonstration from liquefied hydrogen production to utilization and began demonstration of container, tank, and tank lorry manufacturing in July this year.

Subsequently, to commence the liquefied hydrogen production facility and fixed-type charging station, safety standards were prepared in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation, and preparations for the second demonstration have been underway.

Due to the absence of related laws and standards domestically, the development of liquefied hydrogen products was impossible, limiting the growth of the hydrogen industry. However, as the need for liquefied hydrogen with high storage and transportation efficiency has increased domestically and internationally, demonstrations have gradually begun this year.

Yoon In-jae, Director of the Industry Bureau, said, "In Gangwon Province, where there was a lack of jobs and living conditions for companies and young people, we will spare no support so that new industries develop, regulatory resolutions become exemplary cases, and a new future for Gangwon Province is welcomed."

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