The Gyeongnam delegation, led by Governor Park Wansu, has signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for International Joint Research Cooperation on Green Hydrogen Production Technology" with Beomhan Fuel Cell, a hydrogen-specialized company in the province.
At 10:00 a.m. local time on June 17, the delegation visited the Energy Research Institute under the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) to hold the signing ceremony and agreed to collaborate on international joint research.
The Gyeongnam delegation is taking a commemorative photo holding the "Memorandum of Understanding for International Joint Research Cooperation for the Development of Green Hydrogen Production Technology," signed with Youngsik Jung, Chairman of Beomhan Group (fifth from the left), and Søren Linderoth, Director of the Energy Research Institute at the Technical University of Denmark. Provided by Gyeongnam Province
The Technical University of Denmark is a prestigious institution that ranked first in 'EngiRank,' an engineering university evaluation agency in Europe. Its Energy Research Institute is recognized for its world-class technological capabilities in energy conversion and storage technologies, including electrolysis, fuel cells, thermal energy, and carbon capture.
Beomhan Fuel Cell, the other party to the agreement, is a leading hydrogen-specialized company headquartered in Changwon, Gyeongnam. The company possesses highly advanced technology, having developed and commercialized submarine fuel cells?the second in the world to do so after Siemens of Germany.
This agreement is a follow-up measure to the "International Joint Research on Next-Generation Water Electrolysis Technology." The research project will have a total budget of 7 billion KRW and will be conducted over four years and six months, from July 2025 to December 2028.
Beomhan Fuel Cell, as the lead institution, will collaborate with the Korea Institute of Energy Technology and the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology. International partners include the Fraunhofer Institute of Germany and the Technical University of Denmark.
Park Wansu, Governor of Gyeongnam Province, is speaking at the signing ceremony of the "Memorandum of Understanding for International Joint Research Cooperation on Green Hydrogen Production Technology" with Beomhan Fuel Cell, a hydrogen-specialized company in the province, at the Energy Research Institute under the Technical University of Denmark. Provided by Gyeongnam Province
Through this agreement, the two institutions will pursue joint research, technology and information sharing, and expanded exchanges in the field of green hydrogen production technology, specifically solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC, SOEC).
SOFC refers to a fuel cell that uses a solid oxide such as ceramic as an electrolyte, converting the chemical energy of fuel into electrical energy through an electrochemical reaction. SOEC is a technology that produces hydrogen by electrolyzing water or steam at high temperatures above 650°C.
The main goal of this research is to develop, diagnose, and establish operational technology for a Korean-style solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack.
To achieve this, the institutions plan to address the degradation issues of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), which have short stack replacement cycles due to high-temperature operation, and to advance diagnostic technologies.
The Gyeongnam provincial government expects that the joint research between the two institutions will contribute to the commercialization of green hydrogen production technology and strengthen global competitiveness in the hydrogen industry.
At the signing ceremony, Governor Park emphasized, "As the importance of low-carbon green growth is increasing worldwide, I hope this joint research will serve as an opportunity for Gyeongnam to lead global hydrogen technology."
In connection with this, the Gyeongnam provincial government is pursuing projects such as the "Green Hydrogen Production Facility Utilizing Small Hydropower (2025?2026)," the "Creation of a Hydrogen-Specialized Industrial Complex (2026?2030)," the "Establishment of a Test Bed for Hydrogen Liquefaction Plant Compressors (2024?2026)," and the "Establishment of a Support Center for Hydrogen Environment Material and Component Companies (2022?2027)" to expand the hydrogen industry ecosystem and advance core hydrogen technologies.
The province announced that, taking this visit as an opportunity, it will strengthen its network with leading European energy institutions and more actively support overseas expansion and technological cooperation for hydrogen-related companies in the province.
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