From Batteries to UAM... SK Showcases 'Net Zero' Technologies at CES

8 SK Group Companies and 10 Global Investment & Partners
Showcase Technology Capabilities of 'Global Carbon Neutral Alliance'

On the 5th, at CES 2023, the largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition opening in Las Vegas, USA, SK Group pavilion officials are introducing the NCM9+ battery, the highest-performance electric vehicle battery currently developed by SKon. Photo by SK

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] SK Group will showcase the present and future of world-class eco-friendly carbon reduction technologies together with global partners at ‘CES 2023,’ held from January 5 to 8 (local time) in Las Vegas, USA. SK, regarded as the single corporate group with the most diverse carbon reduction value chain, will introduce over 40 related new technologies and products at this CES.

During CES, SK announced on the 4th that eight affiliates, including SK Inc., will operate a group integrated exhibition hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) under the theme ‘Together in Action: Together, Further, Towards a Carbon-Free Future.’

In addition to SK Inc., SK Innovation, SKE&S, SK Hynix, SK Telecom, SK Ecoplant, SKC, and SK Biopharm will participate in this exhibition hall. Notably, 10 partners, including U.S.-based Plug Power and Terra Power, and U.K.-based PlasticEnergy, in which SK has invested or established cooperative relationships, will also join to demonstrate the technological prowess of the ‘Global Carbon Neutral Alliance.’

At ‘CES 2022’ held last January, SK Group announced its goal to reduce 1% (200 million tons) of the global carbon reduction target by 2030 and chose ‘Together (同行)’ as the exhibition theme to signify joining SK’s ‘carbon reduction journey.’ For CES 2023, the theme was set as ‘Action (行同)’ to express the intention of taking practical steps together for carbon reduction.

Experience-Focused Exhibition Hall Evoking ‘Net Zero Empathy’ Draws Attention

The SK Group pavilion is divided into two zones: ‘Futuremarks’ and ‘SK, Around Every Corner.’

The first zone, ‘Futuremarks,’ vividly presents a bleak future humanity may face if proper ‘action’ against the climate crisis is not taken, using advanced media art videos. Visitors can experience with their eyes and ears a virtual scenario where landmarks of major cities worldwide, such as the Statue of Liberty in New York and Big Ben clock tower in London, are submerged due to rising sea levels.

The video ends with messages urging everyone’s ‘action,’ such as “Act now” and “Join the net zero journey.”

The main exhibition zone, ‘SK, Around Every Corner,’ is designed as a space where visitors can directly experience various carbon reduction solutions from SK and its global partners and the concept of ‘action.’

This zone showcases a future city where SK’s net zero technologies are implemented in daily life, divided into six themes: ▲ Clean Mobility ▲ Zero Carbon Lifestyle ▲ Waste to Resources ▲ Air Mobility ▲ Green Digital Solution ▲ Future Energy.

On the 5th, visitors who pre-visited the SK Group pavilion at the largest electronics and IT exhibition 'CES 2023,' opening in Las Vegas, USA, are experiencing a ride on SK Telecom's Urban Air Mobility (UAM) model. Photo by SK

Global Top Carbon Reduction Technologies Gathered... ‘SK Tech Day’ Also Held

SK and its partners will comprehensively present over 40 eco-friendly technologies and products at the main exhibition hall, ranging from cutting-edge batteries to urban air mobility (UAM), small modular reactors (SMR), hydrogen value chains, and sustainable foods. Additionally, on January 5 and 6, ‘SK Tech Day’ will be held to unveil net zero technologies and business blueprints.

SK On will exhibit the SF (Super Fast) battery, currently the fastest charging battery in commercial use. Thanks to special coating technology, it can charge up to 80% in 18 minutes and travel over 400 km on a single charge. The SF battery was recognized for its performance by winning the highest innovation award in the ‘Built-in Technology’ category at CES 2023?the first in the battery industry?and also received the innovation award in the vehicle technology and advanced mobility category.

Terra Power, jointly invested in by SK Inc. and SK Innovation, will introduce technologies for the small modular reactor (SMR) and the sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR), a next-generation reactor expected as a carbon-neutral power source.

SK Telecom will showcase urban air mobility (UAM), the AI semiconductor ‘SAPEON,’ and renewable energy virtual power plants (VPP). A life-size UAM virtual experience simulator will be installed in the exhibition hall, demonstrating how the SAPEON semiconductor assists UAM vehicle operation and how the virtual power plant supplies power to the vehicle and its vertiport.

SK Inc. will operate a ‘Sustainable Food Truck’ at the nearby Central Plaza, offering eco-friendly foods such as ‘SK-Bingsu (Sustainable Korea Bingsu)’ made with alternative milk protein from U.S. investee Perfect Day and alternative protein cream cheese from Nature’s Fynd.

On the first day of ‘SK Tech Day,’ January 5, SK Signet, the No. 1 U.S. electric vehicle ultra-fast charging operator, will introduce new charging technology, and SK Earthon will present CCS (carbon capture and storage) technology. On January 6, SK Ecoplant will introduce ‘WAYBLE,’ a waste lifecycle digital management solution that won the CES 2023 Smart City Innovation Award, and SK Geocentric will showcase core technology for the so-called ‘urban oil field’ business, which produces petrochemical raw materials by thermally decomposing waste plastics into oil.

SK Group installed a large banner advertisement measuring 12 meters wide and 3.6 meters high inside the convention center, the exhibition hall for the world's largest electronics and IT fair, 'CES 2023,' held in Las Vegas, USA, from the 5th to the 8th, featuring a message wishing for the successful bid of the '2030 Busan World Expo (Busan Expo).' Photo by SK

Chairman Chey Tae-won and CEOs Focus on ‘Net Zero’ and ‘Busan Expo’ at CES

More than ten top executives, including SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Senior Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won, SK Discovery Vice Chairman Chey Chang-won, SK Supex Council Chairman Cho Dae-sik, and vice chairmen of SK Inc. Jang Dong-hyun, SK Innovation Kim Jun, and SK Hynix Park Jung-ho, will attend this CES in large numbers.

Chairman Chey Tae-won, who has led ‘net zero’ management, plans to visit the SK Group pavilion as well as major domestic and international corporate pavilions on January 5 to observe advanced technology trends such as eco-friendly solutions. In particular, he is expected to explore ‘net zero’ cooperation plans with some global companies and request support for the Busan Expo bid.

In this regard, SK will carry out various activities to support the Busan Expo bid during CES. Major global companies have installed large banner advertisements promoting the Busan Expo bid in the central lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), where exhibition halls are located, and phrases promoting ‘Busan’ are included throughout the SK Group pavilion exhibits.

CEOs of each company will also engage in business meetings with global companies at CES to strengthen and expand the ‘global carbon reduction partnership.’

SK Inc. Vice Chairman Jang Dong-hyun will meet with executives of sustainable food companies Perfect Day and Wildtype, in which SK Inc. has invested, to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation. SK Hynix Vice Chairman Park Jung-ho plans to hold meetings with CEOs of global semiconductor and ICT leading companies. SK Telecom’s Yoo Young-sang, SK Geocentric’s Na Kyung-soo, SK E&S’s Choo Hyung-wook, SK Ecoplant’s Park Kyung-il, and SKC’s Park Won-cheol will also hold business meetings with executives of their partner companies.

An SK Group official said, “Through CES, SK will demonstrate that it is the company with the most extensive business portfolio and technological capabilities in the carbon reduction field,” adding, “We look forward to collaborating with more global companies to open a net zero world.”

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