Taekwang Industrial to Promote Pilot Project for Fuel Cells Utilizing By-product Hydrogen

Taekwang Industrial Decides to Supply Byproduct Hydrogen

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Taekwang Industrial is partnering with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, LS Electric, SK Gas, Doosan Fuel Cell, and Hyundai Motor Company to promote a pilot project for load-responsive fuel cells utilizing by-product hydrogen.

On the 3rd, Taekwang Industrial signed a non-face-to-face Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with these companies for the joint development of the "Ulsan Mipo Industrial Complex Load-Responsive Fuel Cell Pilot Project," and plans to proceed with the construction of a fuel cell power plant using by-product hydrogen generated in the Ulsan Mipo Industrial Complex.

In particular, part of the power plant will be pilot-operated using a load-responsive method that adjusts power generation according to SMP (System Marginal Price), fuel costs, etc., in connection with the VPP platform. According to the agreement, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and the companies will also cooperate in promoting new projects applying similar business models in the future.

A Virtual Power Plant (VPP) platform is a technology that integrates distributed resources (solar power, ESS, wind power, fuel cells, etc.) into one system to operate like a power plant. The VPP platform is a system that integrates distributed resources and the electricity market, can be linked with fuel cell systems, and is evaluated as an effective measure for ESG implementation.

In this project, Taekwang Industrial will supply the raw material, by-product hydrogen. By-product hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by purifying mixed gases containing a high amount of hydrogen, which are by-products generated in processes such as petrochemical and steelmaking, using pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and other methods to increase purity.

Fuel cells using by-product hydrogen have the advantage of not emitting carbon dioxide, unlike hydrogen fuel cells using LNG as raw material, thereby reducing air pollution, and they can operate more stably due to higher purity.