"Fuel Cells at 100 Gas Stations"… SK Energy's Eco-Friendly Innovation

Development of Eco-Friendly Platform Based on Petroleum Distribution Capabilities
Gas Station Fuel Cell Distributed Generation and Electric Vehicle Charging

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] SK Innovation's petroleum business subsidiary SK Energy will expand its fuel cell business to about 100 gas stations in Seoul and the metropolitan area within this year.

They will also install fuel cell power generation facilities at the Cheonwang Depot of Seoul Subway Line 7 to generate electricity and provide electric vehicle charging services, exploring a distributed power generation model.

Oh Jong-hoon, CEO of SK Energy P&M CIC

On the 23rd, Oh Jong-hoon, CEO of SK Energy Platform & Marketing (P&M), said in an interview with SK Innovation's press channel, "To advance as an eco-friendly platform business, we will wisely overcome this year's difficult internal and external environment," adding, "We will achieve meaningful results in petroleum marketing and the Solutions & Platform (S&P) business."

Launched as a Company In Company in 2021, SK Energy P&M is expanding its business area into eco-friendly platforms and collaborating with various stakeholders in the domestic and international industries and academia in the fields of eco-friendly energy and mobility.

CEO Oh explained, "This year, as the number one business operator, we will lead the market structure healthily and strengthen our business structure through brand-centered market operations," adding, "S&P will accelerate the transition from the business model development and preparation stage to the execution and operation stage, fully advancing as an eco-friendly platform business."

He added, "The virtual power plant business plans to recruit additional new solar power resources to scale up, and commercial operations of four out of the 16 core hydrogen refueling hubs secured last year will commence within this year."

SK Energy will introduce electric vehicle chargers from Atom Power, a U.S. energy solutions company invested in last year with SK Inc., to Korea within this year and promote a pilot project. He said, "We will build an electric vehicle charging infrastructure using Atom Power products at large retail stores and taxi garages, and expand the car wash startup Autostay stores, which we invested in last year, to broaden the customer base for eco-friendly vehicles."

SK Energy P&M plans to offer a subscription product that provides Autostay car wash discounts to electric vehicle charging customers through the mobile platform "Muffin," which is scheduled for official launch within this year.

Additionally, to utilize gas stations as urban logistics bases, they are currently developing business models based on the agreement signed with Naver last December. They will continue to pursue future logistics business models linked with Naver's artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies.

CEO Oh emphasized, "The path we must take is a difficult one that no one has traveled before, but if we overcome hardships, we can create our own opportunities," adding, "Even though the current management environment is challenging, we will prepare for a greater leap after the crisis by finding new solutions through business model transformation."