‘From Hydrogen Production to Utilization’ Pohang City’s Major Shift to an Eco-Friendly Energy City!

Construction of a Mid- to Long-Term Hydrogen-Based Energy Self-Sufficient City

Promotion of Hydrogen City Establishment and Development Cluster 구축

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] On the 21st, the Hydrogen Energy Industry Division of Pohang City conducted 'Employee Work Competency Enhancement Training.'

This training was organized for employees of the Hydrogen Energy Industry Division, a department newly established in January this year, to improve work capabilities in the hydrogen energy sector, a key new business of Pohang. A special lecture was given by Min Young-wi, Head of the New Business Center at POSCO Plantec.

Pohang City conducted a "Staff Work Competency Enhancement Training" on the 21st to improve the work capabilities in the hydrogen energy sector for employees of the newly established Hydrogen Energy Industry Division this year.

The main topics covered under the theme 'From Hydrogen Production to Utilization' included ▲General characteristics of hydrogen ▲Hydrogen production methods (Gray hydrogen, Blue hydrogen, Green hydrogen) ▲Hydrogen storage and transportation ▲Hydrogen utilization (charging stations, fuel cells) ▲Hydrogen as a megatrend ▲Domestic and international hydrogen policies.

Jung Kyu-deok, Head of the Hydrogen Energy Industry Division, said, “It was a meaningful opportunity to hear the vivid voices of companies currently promoting hydrogen projects,” and added, “It is expected to greatly help strengthen hydrogen work capabilities in the future, including attracting and supporting hydrogen companies and discovering new core businesses.”

Amid the global focus on carbon neutrality measures in the era of climate crisis, Pohang City is paying attention to clean hydrogen energy, which emits no carbon as a new energy source, and is dedicated to efforts to revitalize the hydrogen economy.

To this end, the city plans to establish an ecosystem covering the entire cycle of hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and utilization, build an industry-academia-research network to strengthen corporate competitiveness and attract companies, and resolve issues such as technological development and institutional limitations, concentrating all administrative power to leap forward as an eco-friendly energy-based industrial city.

In August last year, Pohang City was designated for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport’s hydrogen city support project, investing 41.6 billion KRW from 2023 to 2026. First, a master plan for hydrogen city creation will be established, and based on this, the city plans to annually promote projects such as hydrogen pipeline network construction, hydrogen charging stations and hydrogen bus introduction, hydrogen city integrated safety center construction, hydrogen city governance operation, and region-specific projects.

Alongside this, the city is fully committed to advancing the 'Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Generation Cluster Construction Project,' a key initiative to expand new industry cultivation. From this year until 2027, 189 billion KRW will be invested over five years to build the infrastructure for hydrogen fuel cell power generation on a 280,000㎡ site in the Pohang Blue Valley National Industrial Complex.

Currently, the project has been selected in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s public contest, and a review meeting is underway for the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The city plans to make every effort to pass the final selection in the contest.