Commercialization of Eco-friendly Hydrogen Production Technology from Ammonia, Industry-Academia-Research Collaboration to Join Forces

Companies, research institutes, and university officials selected as project operators for the national project to demonstrate an ammonia-based clean hydrogen pilot plant are taking a commemorative photo at the launch ceremony held on the 20th at Daejeon Convention Center.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Dae-yeol] A consortium consisting of domestic companies, government-affiliated research institutes, and universities will collaborate to commercialize technology that produces eco-friendly hydrogen based on ammonia. The consortium, composed of a total of nine companies, institutions, and universities including Lotte Chemical, Lotte Fine Chemical, Samsung Engineering, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Gas Safety Research Institute, Future Standards Institute, Chungnam National University, and Kookmin University, was selected for the national project "Ammonia-based Clean Hydrogen Pilot Plant Demonstration" announced by the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning, and held a launching ceremony on the 20th, the consortium announced on the 21st.

Over the next four years, the consortium will undertake the project to build a pilot plant producing 800 tons of hydrogen annually based on ammonia at Lotte Fine Chemical's Ulsan plant. They will also develop a design package for a commercial-scale hydrogen plant producing 16,000 tons annually. Of the total budget of 26.2 billion KRW, the government will provide 14.8 billion KRW, and the remaining 11.4 billion KRW will be contributed by the participating consortium companies.

The company explained that this national project is meaningful in that it develops ammonia decomposition hydrogen extraction technology and secures related infrastructure, aiming for commercialization for the first time in Korea by developing and demonstrating the technology. The method of extracting eco-friendly hydrogen from ammonia is still at the research and development stage worldwide. With companies and institutions that have ammonia distribution infrastructure and accumulated related technology and know-how coming together, it is expected to contribute to reducing greenhouse gases and achieving carbon neutrality.

Kim Gyo-hyun, CEO of Lotte Chemical, said, "Clean hydrogen production through ammonia thermal decomposition is expected to be the most competitive hydrogen supply method in the future," adding, "Through Korea's top industry-academia-research cooperation, we will promote the development of domestic technology and supply 30% of domestic clean hydrogen demand through Lotte Chemical."

Kim Yong-seok, CEO of Lotte Fine Chemical, said, "We handle about 24% of ammonia distribution in Northeast Asia and about 70% domestically," adding, "As a leading domestic ammonia supplier, through this demonstration project, we will realize the world's first ammonia-hydrogen energy pathway at a single site, from ammonia import to transportation, storage, thermal decomposition hydrogen extraction, and utilization." Kim Jong-nam, President of the Korea Institute of Energy Research, said, "We will ensure that the technology developed through this project enters the global market, playing a pioneering role in the import of overseas clean hydrogen and contributing to the realization of national carbon neutrality policies."