SK Ecoplant Strengthens Cooperation for SOFC Fuel Cell Localization

Domestic Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Collaborate to Enter Global Supply Chains

SK ecoplant is strengthening cooperation with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises to localize solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).

On the 18th, SK ecoplant announced on the 19th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the localization of hydrogen fuel cell components and global expansion with Bloom Energy, a leading U.S. fuel cell company, Amosense, a specialized electronic components manufacturer, and T&E Korea, a manufacturer specializing in industrial turbo blowers and hydrogen fuel cell air blowers, at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.

On the 18th, attendees are taking a commemorative photo at the signing ceremony of the "Business Agreement for Localization of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Components and Global Expansion" held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. From the left, Kang Kyung-sung, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Park Kyung-il, President of SK Ecoplant; Ravi Prasher, Chief Technology Officer of Bloom Energy; Han Duck-soo, Prime Minister; Park Ki-chul, CEO of T&E Korea; Kim In-eung, CEO of Amosense. (Photo by SK Ecoplant)

The signing ceremony, held as a pre-event of the 6th Hydrogen Economy Committee, was attended by Park Kyung-il, President of SK ecoplant, Ravi Prasher, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Bloom Energy, as well as Han Duck-soo, Prime Minister, Kang Kyung-sung, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and other related government officials and private committee members.

According to this agreement, SK ecoplant, Bloom Energy, Amosense, and T&E Korea will join forces to enable domestic companies to develop and localize SOFC equipment parts and expand into overseas markets.

Amosense, a materials and components specialist company holding over 1,110 domestic and international patents, will provide the electrolyte support (substrate) for SOFC, while T&E Korea, based on high-speed turbo machinery technology, will promote the localization and production system establishment of the oxygen supply device (blower) for SOFC. Bloom Energy will provide technical support for domestic development of SOFC components and promote their domestic and international distribution. SK ecoplant will lead the localization and domestic and international application of SOFC components.

SOFC, a high-efficiency power generation technology, is considered the mainstream in the overseas fuel cell market. According to the 'Stationary Fuel Cell Growth Outlook' report published in June by global consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, Bloom Energy ranked first worldwide with a 44% global market share among numerous fuel cell companies in stationary fuel cells.

To localize SOFC, SK ecoplant established the joint venture 'BloomSK Fuel Cell' with Bloom Energy in January 2020, completed the BloomSK Fuel Cell manufacturing plant in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, and began domestic production of SOFC. BloomSK Fuel Cell is actively expanding the localization ratio of core fuel cell components by building a lineup of more than 10 major parts based on collaboration with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises. Since selecting Hanseon Engineering as the first approved domestic parts supplier in March last year, it has been strengthening its supply chain with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises such as LS ALSCO and Texon.

Park Kyung-il, CEO of SK ecoplant, said, "We will practice win-win management by supporting the export of domestically produced equipment through collaboration with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises." He added, "We will also lead the global market together with domestic SMEs and Bloom Energy by actively pursuing overseas orders, such as supplying fuel cells to data centers in Singapore."