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Hyundai E&C to build Korea’s 1st electrolysis-based hydrogen plant

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An image of hydrogen plant using water electrolysis to be built in Buan, North Jeolla Province of Korea (Courtesy of Hyundai E&C)  

Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. (Hyundai E&C) has broken ground on South Korea’s first hydrogen production plant using water electrolysis, as a part of government-backed clean energy projects, the construction giant said on Thursday.

The plant will be built in the renewable energy production complex of Buan County, North Jeolla Province by the end of this year and start an operation in May 2025. It aims to produce at least 1 ton of hydrogen per day with 2.5 megawatt of electricity.

Hyundai E&C said the plant will play a critical role in the state-backed project of hydrogen production in Buan and provide the clean energy source to the county’s research labs and hydrogen charging stations.

Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. It is regarded a sustainable way for carbon-neutral hydrogen production from renewable and nuclear resources.

“We are strengthening our capability to be a leader of the hydrogen plant market as we believe the chemical element, a key energy source for carbon neutrality, will drive the future energy industry,” said Hyundai E&C official.

“Hyundai E&C will proactively invest in hiring research and development experts and modernizing research facilities for the hydrogen, biogas and small modular nuclear reactor industries to drive the global clean energy transition,” the official added.

The construction giant has taken the national project of water electrolysis-based hydrogen production with the governments of North Jeolla Province and Buan, state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Jeonbuk Techno Park, water treatment firm Techross Water & Energy Inc. and Techross Environmental Services Inc. since 2022.

Hyundai E&C completed designing the plant last December, facilities of which will use polymer electrolyte membrane to produce hydrogen 99.999% pure and a safe system to ensure smooth operations even in an emergency.

In addition to the facilities in Buan, Hyundai E&C has led front-end engineering and design (FEED) of hydrogen plant in Boryeong, a city in South Chungcheong Province and the conceptual design of 12.5 megawatt hydrogen production of Jeju Island.

By Eun-Ji Shim

summit@hankyung.com

Jihyun Kim edited this article.

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