Uljin-gun, the Optimal Site for Clean Hydrogen Production, Leading the Future Hydrogen City

Utilizing Nuclear Hydrogen, the Most Economical Way to Produce Hydrogen

Best Strategy for South Korea's Energy Independence and Security Enhancement

The Hydrogen Era is Here! Currently, the world is experiencing numerous disasters and calamities caused by abnormal temperature rises, resulting in enormous damage. Carbon neutrality has emerged as a key solution to overcome this climate crisis.

Uljin, a city producing clean hydrogen through nuclear power.

Major countries around the world, including the EU, are continuing various efforts toward carbon neutrality and plan to impose carbon taxes on products produced from raw materials with high carbon emissions.

Carbon neutrality is becoming the new world order, and hydrogen is emerging as a key alternative to achieve this goal.

Hydrogen is an important key to transitioning from the fossil fuel era to the carbon-neutral era. Both domestic and international governments and companies are showing great interest in hydrogen energy and continuing research.

Uljin-gun, not missing this timely and environmental trend, took its first step toward leading a hydrogen city by being selected last year as a candidate site for the national nuclear hydrogen industrial complex.

▲ The Most Economical Hydrogen Production

The county has optimal conditions for producing hydrogen without generating carbon. The foundation for this is nuclear power.

Electricity and nuclear power, essential elements for hydrogen production, are carbon-free electricity sources that do not produce carbon emissions. Moreover, compared to other renewable energies, they have lower production costs, offering excellent price competitiveness.

Since Uljin-gun possesses the world's largest number of 10 nuclear reactors, utilizing the nuclear electricity generated here for hydrogen production allows for the most economical hydrogen production.

Uljin-gun’s competitiveness in nuclear electricity likely played a significant role in its selection as a candidate site for the national industrial complex, surpassing many competitors despite challenges in transportation conditions and human infrastructure supply.

Especially, on February 14, at the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s Emergency Economic Ministerial Meeting, it was announced that the preliminary feasibility study exemption for Uljin nuclear hydrogen would be pursued, bringing the path toward a future hydrogen city through the operation of the nuclear national industrial complex even closer.

▲ A Stepping Stone for South Korea as a Hydrogen Production Powerhouse

As the saying goes, “Even if you have a thousand beads, you must string them to make a treasure.” No matter how good the conditions are, if the proper foundation to utilize them is not established, the competitiveness disappears.

The Uljin nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex is no exception. Although it has optimal conditions for mass hydrogen production, institutional environments must be created for these conditions to be fully realized.

If electricity produced from nuclear power is supplied through general transmission lines, it mixes with electricity generated by carbon-emitting sources and thus cannot be recognized as clean hydrogen. Institutional frameworks must be established through amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Electricity Business Act to allow nuclear electricity to be supplied directly to the national industrial complex.

Additionally, securing alternative water sources to supply water, another fundamental element for hydrogen production, is essential for the Uljin nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex to function properly.

Recently, Uljin-gun has been making various efforts to establish the foundation for efficient operation of the nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex through national-level support, such as proposing support for infrastructure development at the new national industrial complex intergovernmental promotion support team meetings.

County Governor Son Byung-bok stated, “The Uljin nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex will play a significant role not only in regional economic development through large-scale clean hydrogen production but also in strengthening South Korea’s energy independence and energy security. We will continue to strive to ensure that the nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex leads the future hydrogen city.”