"No Hydrogen Crisis"... Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Designates Exclusive Agency for Transportation Hydrogen Distribution

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the 3rd Mobility Hydrogen Supply and Demand Meeting on the 28th in Seoul, chaired by Lee Ho-yeon, Director of the Energy Policy Office, to review the supply and demand situation of hydrogen for transportation during the year-end and New Year holidays. The meeting was attended by 25 representatives from government ministries including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, as well as hydrogen-related companies and institutions such as Hyundai Steel, Hyundai Motor Company, SK E&S, Air Liquide, Hi Changwon, SPC, Approtium, HyNet, CoHyGen, Korea Gas Corporation, Korea Gas Technology Corporation, and Korea Gas Safety Corporation.

At the meeting, hydrogen production and distribution companies shared plans for hydrogen supply from newly completed facilities such as liquefaction plants, coordinated regular inspection schedules of existing facilities, and discussed alternative supply plans accordingly. Major hydrogen refueling station operators agreed to stagger the closure schedules of stations within regions during the year-end and New Year holidays to minimize inconvenience for users.

The Ministry of Environment shared next year’s plans for the distribution support of hydrogen vehicles and refueling stations, while hydrogen vehicle manufacturers shared production plans for hydrogen buses and other hydrogen vehicles for the coming year. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced plans to prepare a response manual for supply crises and to strengthen the hydrogen supply response system by designating a dedicated institution for hydrogen distribution for transportation.

Lee Ho-hyun, Director of the Energy Policy Office, stated, "The hydrogen production facility that caused a temporary supply disruption at some refueling stations in the central region in late November has resumed normal operation from mid-December, earlier than the initially planned end of December." Previously, two out of three hydrogen production facilities operated by Hyundai Steel at the Dangjin plant underwent maintenance, causing a sharp drop in hydrogen supply and resulting in hydrogen vehicle drivers being unable to refuel.