Tannokwi, 'Clean Methanol Initiative Conference'... Hyundai Motor Unveils Methanol Vehicle

At the 'Clean Methanol Initiative Conference' held on the 29th, the guests are taking a commemorative photo in front of a clean methanol vehicle. From the second left: Hong Gi-yong, Director of the Ship and Offshore Plant Research Institute; Song Sang-geun, Professor at Seoul National University; Lee Sang-ho, Mayor of Taebaek; Kim Sang-hyup, Chair of the Presidential 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee; Bae Chung-sik, Professor at KAIST; Lee Young-guk, Director of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology. Photo by 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee.

The Presidential Committee on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth 2050 announced on the afternoon of the 29th that it held the 'Clean Methanol Initiative Conference' at Ondream Society in Seoul, attended by about 100 participants from government ministries, local governments, public institutions, research institutes, related companies, and associations.

Since October last year, the committee has launched the 'Clean Methanol Initiative' (secretariat institutions: Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering) through public-private cooperation, bringing together over 80 organizations including ministries, associations, companies, and research institutes to promote measures for revitalizing the clean methanol industry, such as production, storage and supply, utilization, regulatory improvement, and technology development.

At the conference, starting with a keynote speech titled 'Methanol and Carbon Neutrality' by Professor Song Sang-geun of the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at Seoul National University (former Vice Minister of Oceans and Fisheries), presentations and discussions by experts from industry, academia, and research sectors followed on clean methanol production technologies and utilization methods by field.

The presenters emphasized that clean methanol produced using biomass and renewable energy contributes to carbon neutrality as a sustainable fuel, and through the related ecosystem, it can create new industries and strengthen the competitiveness of Korea’s key industries such as shipbuilding, automotive, and petrochemicals.

At the conference, a car running on clean methanol fuel jointly researched by Professor Bae Choong-sik’s research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Hyundai Motor Company was exhibited, attracting attention.

Kim Sang-hyup, chairman of the committee, emphasized at the conference that "the development and utilization of clean fuels can be an important foundation to accelerate energy transition by replacing existing fossil fuels, and the clean methanol industry is a core industry that must be promoted for national greenhouse gas reduction and green growth."

Based on the key opinions proposed at the conference, the government plans to continuously discuss regulatory improvements and ecosystem establishment measures at the Clean Methanol Initiative plenary meetings and other forums to support the development of carbon-neutral technologies based on clean methanol and the revitalization of the industry.

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