SK E&S Partners with SoBuJang Companies to Localize Liquefied Hydrogen Charging Stations

MOU for Localization of Liquefied Hydrogen Charging Stations with Hyosung and Domestic Materials and Parts Companies on the 18th

SK E&S is taking the lead in strengthening the competitiveness of the domestic hydrogen ecosystem by partnering with Korean 소재·부품·장비 (materials, parts, and equipment) companies to localize liquefied hydrogen refueling stations.

On the 18th, SK E&S announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the “Localization and Joint Utilization of Liquefied Hydrogen Refueling Stations” with Hyosung Heavy Industries, Cryos, D-EL, and Kwangshin Machinery Industry at Lotte Hotel in Seoul.

The MOU signing ceremony was held as a preliminary event to the “6th Hydrogen Economy Committee,” which reviews and decides on major hydrogen economy policies with the participation of the Prime Minister, related ministers, and private committee members.

The parties to the agreement agreed to establish and continuously develop a cooperative system to support 소재·부품·장비 technology and expand the use of domestic equipment to achieve localization and expand the distribution of liquefied hydrogen refueling stations.

Specifically, SK E&S and Hyosung Heavy Industries, which are preparing to operate liquefied hydrogen plants and refueling stations, will provide technical support and utilize domestic equipment.

Domestic 소재·부품·장비 companies Cryos, D-EL, and Kwangshin will leverage their accumulated expertise in key equipment for liquefied hydrogen refueling stations, such as liquefied hydrogen storage tanks, tank trailers, pumps, valves, vaporizers, and compressors, to focus on developing competitive technologies and producing products.

This MOU is significant as it marks the collaboration between large corporations promoting liquefied hydrogen projects and 소재·부품·장비 small and medium enterprises in related fields to revitalize the industrial ecosystem, coinciding with the full establishment of domestic liquefied hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s policy efforts to stabilize hydrogen supply and demand.

SK E&S has completed the mechanical completion of the world’s largest liquefied hydrogen plant with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons in the Incheon area and has begun commissioning, with official commercial operation expected soon. Additionally, SK E&S is pushing forward with the construction of about 40 liquefied hydrogen refueling stations as infrastructure for distributing the produced liquefied hydrogen, with sequential operations planned to start by the end of this year.

SK E&S plans to maximize the use of excellent domestic technology throughout the large-scale liquefied hydrogen production and distribution business, including the establishment of refueling stations, to promote related industrial development and job creation. SK E&S is already collaborating with domestic companies possessing technological capabilities in various fields such as liquefied hydrogen tanks, cryogenic heat exchangers, and valves throughout the construction and operation of the Incheon liquefied hydrogen plant.

With most core liquefied hydrogen technologies and related equipment markets currently dominated by foreign companies, applying domestic equipment in the domestic liquefied hydrogen business sites is expected to provide opportunities for Korean 소재·부품·장비 companies to accumulate related technologies and operational know-how.

Moreover, as liquefied hydrogen, which is superior in economics, efficiency, and safety compared to gaseous hydrogen, is expected to act as a catalyst for the expansion of hydrogen mobility adoption, nurturing the domestic liquefied hydrogen 소재·부품·장비 industry as a new export item and promoting the development of related industries such as shipbuilding, automotive, and aviation is also anticipated to secure an economic growth engine.

Meanwhile, after signing the MOU, SK E&S CEO Choo Hyung-wook attended the 6th Hydrogen Economy Committee meeting. Since last year, CEO Choo has been serving as a private committee member of the 2nd Hydrogen Economy Committee, composed of domestic hydrogen economy experts from industry, academia, and research institutes.

CEO Choo stated, “Thanks to institutional support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy such as regulatory sandboxes, we have been able to participate in the liquefied hydrogen business. We will continue to work diligently to promote liquefied hydrogen production and refueling projects without setbacks together with various excellent domestic 소재·부품·장비 small and medium enterprises, enhancing the competitiveness of the domestic liquefied hydrogen industry ecosystem and contributing to smooth hydrogen supply and demand.”

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