Signing of Business Agreement for Successful Promotion of Hydrogen City Development Project
Stable Hydrogen Supply, Accelerating Transition to Hydrogen-Based Eco-Friendly City
On the 13th, Pohang City signed a business agreement with Airfirst to successfully promote the hydrogen city creation project and agreed to join forces for the hydrogen-based energy transition.
On the 13th, Pohang City signed a business agreement with Airfirst to successfully promote the hydrogen city development project. Lee Kang-deok, Mayor of Pohang, and Yang Han-yong, CEO of Airfirst (right). Photo by Pohang City
At the signing ceremony held at the City Hall External Cooperation Office, key officials including Lee Kang-deok, Mayor of Pohang, and Yang Han-yong, CEO of Airfirst, attended and reaffirmed their commitment to revitalizing the hydrogen economy.
This agreement aims to ensure the stable supply of hydrogen, which is the core of Pohang City's ongoing 'Hydrogen City Creation Project.' Airfirst will provide technical support and maintenance for hydrogen supply and piping.
Additionally, Pohang City and Airfirst plan to establish a cooperative system for clean hydrogen production in the future, considering the long-term transition to a carbon-neutral society and the scalability of the creation project.
The Hydrogen City Creation Project aims to reduce carbon emissions within the region and achieve sustainable growth by utilizing hydrogen energy in various sectors such as housing, transportation, and industry.
Since last year, Pohang City has been investing a total of 40 billion KRW (20 billion KRW from the national government and 20 billion KRW from local government) until 2026 to build hydrogen charging stations, approximately 19 km of hydrogen pipelines from the steel industrial complex to the Blue Valley industrial complex, an integrated safety operation center, and a hydrogen city information center, promoting the hydrogen city creation project across all areas including housing, transportation, and infrastructure.
Airfirst, headquartered in the Pohang Steel Industrial Complex, was founded in 1975 and has led the domestic industrial gas manufacturing and supply industry for over 50 years, operating six factories and nine onsite plants nationwide.
In particular, Airfirst produces and supplies industrial gases through various methods such as piping, bulk, and cylinders, possessing stable hydrogen supply capabilities. Through this agreement, Airfirst will produce hydrogen and supply it via pipelines to fuel cell companies, residences, and charging stations within the Blue Valley hydrogen specialized complex in the future.
Pohang City expects that by securing a stable hydrogen supply network through this agreement, it will accelerate the transition to an eco-friendly city based on hydrogen, which is gaining attention as a future energy source, as well as enhance the local economy and its status as an eco-friendly energy city.
Yang Han-yong, CEO of Airfirst, stated, “Based on the company's technology and know-how, we will do our best to supply hydrogen stably so that Pohang City's hydrogen city creation project can proceed smoothly.”
Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “The agreement with Airfirst marks an important turning point for Pohang City to leap forward as a hydrogen city. We will build urban infrastructure based on hydrogen, which is gaining attention as a future eco-friendly energy source, to provide citizens with a clean and safe energy environment.”
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