SK Ecoplant "Success in Domestic Production of SOFC Core Materials"

Localization of Electrolyte Raw Materials and Powder
Cooperation Among Hansuwon, Bloom Energy, and Bloom SK Fuel Cell
Fostering and Supporting Small Giants Bears Fruit

SK ecoplant has achieved success in the localization of core materials for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).

On the 4th, SK ecoplant announced this at the ‘2024 Korea Energy Show’ held at BEXCO in Busan, hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Together with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Bloom Energy, BloomSK Fuel Cell, and small and medium-sized enterprises participating in localization, they succeeded in localizing the raw materials and powder for the electrolyte. The electrolyte is one of the materials that make up the cell, a core component of fuel cells along with the anode and cathode materials.

The four companies signed a business agreement in 2021 and have been fostering domestic small and medium-sized enterprises with excellent manufacturing capabilities to localize and produce SOFC core components domestically. They supported technology review, prototype production, product verification, localization, and domestic and international application.

The company that succeeded in localization this time is KV Materials, which develops mineral-based new materials. KV Materials collaborated with Bloom Energy to achieve the purity and quality level of the powder and succeeded in exporting overseas.

Localization of finished electrolyte products and substrates (supports) is also within reach. Amosense, a specialized material parts company, has started producing and evaluating electrolyte substrates using the raw materials and powder developed by KV Materials. It is expected to succeed in localization as early as the first half of next year.

T&E Korea, a specialized high-efficiency air supply device company, has completed localization of the oxygen supply blower that controls the temperature inside the SOFC system to prevent overheating or damage and is about to sign an export contract. By the end of next year, it is expected to achieve results in localizing a fuel supply blower with higher technical specifications.

SK ecoplant announced that it plans to continue localizing SOFC parts and discovering and fostering parts manufacturers in cooperation with Bloom Energy. Already in the second half of last year, they began directly sourcing and assembling parts for the entire SOFC module at the BloomSK Fuel Cell factory in Gumi to produce the final finished product. They are also promoting technological cooperation between domestic partner companies and Bloom Energy with the goal of localizing a total of 39 major items, including core equipment and raw material processing, by next year.

Satish Chituri, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Bloom Energy, said, “We were able to achieve valuable results by collaborating with Korean companies with high technological competitiveness,” and added, “We will continue to expand technological cooperation in more diverse fields so that many Korean small and medium-sized enterprises can prove their capabilities required by the global market.”

Kim Jeong-hoon, head of SK ecoplant Solution BU, said, “Through localization of SOFC parts, we will contribute not only to the technological advancement of domestic partners but also to the increase in exports,” and added, “We will continue to play a bridgehead role that strengthens the technological competitiveness of the domestic fuel cell ecosystem and helps parts manufacturers enter the global supply chain.”