SK E&S Supports Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education in Introducing Hydrogen School Buses

Ministry of Environment, Incheon Office of Education, Incheon City, Hyundai Motor, and Others
Sign Business Agreement for Introducing Incheon Student Success Bus Hydrogen School Buses

[Image source=Yonhap News]

SK E&S is partnering with the Ministry of Environment and others to support the introduction of hydrogen school buses by the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education.

On the 3rd, SK E&S announced that it signed a business agreement for the ‘Introduction and Expansion of Hydrogen School Buses for Incheon Student Success Buses’ with the Ministry of Environment, Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education, Incheon City, and Hyundai Motor Company at the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education Student Safety Experience Center. Attendees included Geum Han-seung, Director of the Climate and Carbon Policy Office at the Ministry of Environment; Do Seong-hoon, Superintendent of Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education; Jo In-gwon, Head of the Economic and Industrial Headquarters of Incheon Metropolitan City; Lee Im-cheol, Vice President of SK E&S; and Song So-dong, Head of Hyundai Motor Company’s Incheon Regional Headquarters.

Through this agreement, the newly introduced ‘Student Success Bus (school bus)’ by the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education will be implemented as hydrogen buses. The ‘Student Success Bus’ is a regional integrated student circulation bus operating mainly in large development areas where transportation infrastructure in Incheon is delayed. This year, 27 buses will be operated on a pilot basis, and the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education plans to deploy 3 hydrogen buses in July and gradually expand the fleet depending on the delivery status of new hydrogen buses. Additionally, schools using the buses will be provided with environmental education consulting, opportunities for hydrogen-related learning, and field trips such as visits to liquefied hydrogen production facilities.

This agreement will also strengthen infrastructure development for the stable operation of hydrogen buses. Incheon City plans to convert a cumulative total of 700 buses, including city buses, to hydrogen buses by 2024 and expand this to about 2,000 buses by 2030. SK E&S will align with Incheon City’s hydrogen bus supply plan by producing up to 30,000 tons of liquefied hydrogen annually at the Incheon liquefied hydrogen plant starting at the end of this year, supplying it as fuel for hydrogen buses. Furthermore, SK E&S will timely establish and operate charging facilities within Incheon City and work on infrastructure development for the hydrogen bus transition.

The Ministry of Environment will play a role in policy and financial support, including extending the performance warranty period for hydrogen buses, purchase subsidies, expanding hydrogen charging stations, and supporting the introduction of hydrogen school buses. Incheon City will strive to provide purchase subsidies to enable the conversion of school buses to hydrogen buses and cooperate to expand hydrogen charging station infrastructure. The Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education will continue to promote the additional introduction of hydrogen school buses, Hyundai Motor Company will produce and supply hydrogen buses in a timely manner, and operate hydrogen vehicle field trip programs.

Lee Im-cheol, Vice President of SK E&S, stated, "This agreement is meaningful not only for the hydrogen conversion of school buses but also for enhancing awareness of eco-friendly energy by providing students with various hydrogen-related educational opportunities." He added, "SK E&S will continue these diverse activities and support the introduction of more hydrogen buses in the future by supplying competitively priced liquefied hydrogen."

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