[In Conversation with Top Technologists] ⑬ Doosan Fuel Cell: "In the AI Era, Hydrogen Fuel Cells Are the Power Solution"

Expanding Product Line... Improving Efficiency with Material Innovation
Hydrogen Fuel Cells Prevent Major Blackout Disruptions
Synergy from Korea-US Collaboration... Smooth Internal Communication

Editor's NoteKorea's industry is facing a comprehensive crisis. The management environment is deteriorating due to a combination of soaring raw material prices, the restructuring of global supply chains, and ongoing US-China trade conflicts. Ultimately, the key to overcoming this crisis lies in technology. Technology is the lifeline and raison d'etre of a company. This is why the role of the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is being increasingly emphasized by companies. The CTO is no longer simply a developer of new technologies, but has become a strategist who analyzes changing markets and presents a future vision for the company. Asia Economy has met with CTOs from major domestic companies to hear about the core technologies and differentiation strategies that each industry is focusing on. Through the technology strategies of leading companies, we seek ways to enhance the competitiveness of Korean industry and create future value.

"The surge in electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence (AI) will be beyond imagination. The only solution that can reliably support this trend is hydrogen fuel cells."

Sridhar Kanuri, Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Doosan Fuel Cell, identified 'fuel cells' as the energy solution that will drive the AI era. Fuel cells are a type of generator that mainly uses hydrogen to produce electricity and heat. They are considered environmentally friendly because they emit almost no pollutants.

Recently, as AI model training and the expansion of data centers have caused a sharp increase in electricity demand, concerns about blackouts and bottlenecks are growing. CTO Kanuri stated, "Fuel cells are virtually the only system that can supply distributed power at the local level without overloading the power grid," emphasizing that they are "the technological endpoint of a sustainable energy paradigm." Fuel cells are compact, about the size of a refrigerator or container, and when installed near demand sites, they can minimize energy loss during transmission and distribution.

Since joining UTC Power in 2001, he has dedicated 25 years to developing fuel cells. This is the first time that Doosan Fuel Cell's 'technology commander' has been interviewed by Korean media. The interview was conducted via video call from his office in Connecticut, USA, on the 13th.

On the 13th, Sridhar Kanuri, Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in charge of technology at Doosan Fuel Cell and HyAxiom, a subsidiary of Doosan Corporation based in the United States, is being interviewed by Asia Economy via video call from his office in Connecticut, USA. Doosan

Expanding Product Line... Improving Efficiency by Changing Materials

The business that CTO Kanuri has recently been focusing on is 'Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC)'. Since 2021, Doosan Fuel Cell has been developing SOFCs, which can enhance electrical efficiency, and is now on the verge of mass production.

SOFCs are attracting attention as next-generation technology due to their excellent electricity generation efficiency, but they have significant drawbacks: they operate at high temperatures of 800 degrees Celsius, making it difficult to ensure durability and complicating production. Kanuri focused on lowering the operating temperature of SOFCs. He explained, "By applying metallic materials instead of ceramics, we succeeded in lowering the operating temperature to 620 degrees Celsius," and added, "We can now introduce a new product that maintains the same efficiency as conventional SOFCs while improving durability and lifespan."

Sridhar Kanuri, Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in charge of technology at Doosan Fuel Cell and HyAxiom, a subsidiary of Doosan located in the United States. Doosan

Because SOFCs have high power efficiency, they are expected to be widely used in various fields such as smart farms, data centers, and mobility applications like automobiles. Doosan Fuel Cell's ability to mass-produce SOFCs was greatly influenced by its experience producing Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFCs). PAFCs, which operate at temperatures below 200 degrees Celsius, have relatively low electrical efficiency but are well-suited for combined heat and power generation, making them ideal for urban facilities such as hospitals and apartment complexes. Doosan Fuel Cell is the only company in the world to commercially operate a large-scale PAFC power plant using pure hydrogen as fuel, standing out in the domestic fuel cell market for power generation. However, compared to the global market, Korea's natural gas market is highly volatile in price, and urban heat demand is limited, so it has been difficult to meet diverse needs with PAFCs alone.

CTO Kanuri has experience leading related technology development since his time at UTC Power, which held the original PAFC technology. The stability and reliability secured through PAFC technology laid the foundation for SOFC development.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Prevent Major Blackout Chaos

Doosan Fuel Cell Fuel Cell.

Doosan Fuel Cell has established a structure that can flexibly respond to price fluctuations through 'Power Mix'. Its systems can operate on pure hydrogen as well as blended fuels with natural gas, allowing for customized power sources tailored to site conditions. CTO Kanuri said, "Sustainability that does not depend on a specific fuel is key," and added, "Thanks to this, Doosan Fuel Cell was able to quickly establish itself in various countries and industrial environments."

CTO Kanuri highlighted the reliability of hydrogen fuel cells by referencing the major blackout in Spain. He said, "Even during power outages, hydrogen fuel cells supplied power stably, preventing major chaos," and predicted, "In an environment of large-scale electricity demand, such as the AI era, hydrogen fuel cells will become an essential base power source." He went on to say, "We are not simply supplying hydrogen fuel cells; we plan to expand into a 'smart energy platform' that collects real-time data from installed power plants to optimize operational efficiency and maintenance." He emphasized, "The core of our future strategy is to analyze and predict power plant performance using AI and big data, providing customers with customized energy solutions."

Synergy from Korea-US Collaboration... Smooth Internal Communication

CTO Kanuri also serves as Global CTO of HyAxiom, a subsidiary of Doosan Corporation based in the United States. Doosan Fuel Cell and HyAxiom share the design and production of products and components by unit. Technology development for PAFC is conducted in Korea, while development of SOFC systems and Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolysis systems is carried out in the United States. He said, "We have established a communication system between teams that overcomes time zone and language barriers, and have also developed logistics protocols for the safe transport of large components."

Doosan Fuel Cell regularly holds in-house technology seminars and research presentations, and has activated knowledge exchange among engineers through a global R&D network connecting the US, Korea, and Europe. For talent development, 'Doosan Yeongangwon' runs in-house leadership training and internship programs. CTO Kanuri explained, "We have secured organizational capabilities that can simultaneously accelerate development speed and enhance project completeness, regardless of the project."