Hanwha Construction Division Wins Ministerial Award for 'Waste Plastic to Hydrogen Conversion Technology'

Hanwha Corporation's Construction Division announced on the 13th that the technology to convert waste plastics into hydrogen, being developed in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Energy Research, was selected as the first place winner at the 'Technomics Audition' and received the Minister of Science and ICT Award.

Hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and organized by the National Science and Technology Research Council (NST), the 'Public Research Institute Technomics Audition' is a "public participation-type science and technology competition" where challenging research projects that can offer hope to the national economy and citizens' lives are presented and evaluated by expert judges and a public audience evaluation panel.

At the audition held on the 12th at V.SPACE located in Dongdaemun, Seoul, Hanwha Corporation's Construction Division and the Korea Institute of Energy Research presented the 'Waste Plastic Energy Conversion Plant' and were selected as the first place winner. This technology, developed under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed last year between Hanwha Corporation's Construction Division and the Korea Institute of Energy Research, is an eco-friendly technology that processes waste plastics and converts them into hydrogen fuel or chemical fuel.

The idea, which simultaneously addresses environmental issues and energy supply, received high praise from the panel of judges and strong support from the 100-member public audience panel composed of university (graduate) students, company employees, investment experts, and general citizens.

In May of last year, Hanwha Corporation's Construction Division and the Korea Institute of Energy Research signed an MOU to develop gasification hydrogen production technology using waste plastic pyrolysis oil and other materials. Under the agreement, both parties have continuously exchanged technology through securing core technology, basic and detailed design, feasibility analysis, and building commercialization models.

This technology is expected to have effects such as waste reduction and carbon emission reduction by shifting from the current landfill and incineration-centered waste plastic treatment methods to pyrolysis methods. Additionally, it is anticipated to contribute to the expansion of the high value-added recycling market by selling the produced hydrogen fuel and chemical fuel.

Lee Sang-guk, Head of Hanwha Corporation's Plant Business Division, said, "Securing hydrogen production technology using waste plastics is a step closer to preparing for the upcoming carbon-zero era and advancing ESG management. Along with wind power generation, which Hanwha Corporation's Construction Division is focusing on as a future business, we will strengthen competitiveness through innovative technology development in the hydrogen energy field."

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