30,000 Tons of Carbon Dioxide Annually
Reborn as Liquefied Carbonic Acid and Dry Ice
The Ministry of Science and ICT has completed a demonstration plant for 'carbon capture and utilization (CCU)' technology, which converts carbon dioxide into valuable chemicals such as liquefied carbonic acid.
On October 14, the Ministry announced that it held a completion ceremony at the hydrogen-specialized industrial complex in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, together with private companies including Hyundai Engineering & Construction. During the event, they demonstrated the process of converting captured carbon dioxide into liquefied carbonic acid and dry ice.
CCU technology is considered a core "climate tech" that not only reduces carbon dioxide, the main culprit of global warming, but also creates new industries by converting it into high-value-added chemical products such as aviation fuel or methanol.
Liquefied hydrogen plant facility. Not directly related to the content of the article. Asia Economy DB.
To support the commercialization of this technology, the Ministry plans to increase the related research and development (R&D) budget by 41%, from 29.6 billion won this year to 41.8 billion won next year. In addition, a large-scale preliminary feasibility study project is underway to achieve the "2030 National Greenhouse Gas Reduction Target (NDC)," and in April of this year, the Ministry established the "CCU Initiative," an industry-academia-research consultative body led by the private sector, to build the foundation for the industrial ecosystem.
The preliminary feasibility study project is a flagship initiative focusing on industries with high carbon dioxide emissions, such as oil refining and chemicals, petrochemicals, cement, steel, and coal-fired power generation. A total of 52 companies and research institutes from key regions including Jeonnam, Chungnam, Gangwon, and Pohang are participating, demonstrating the entire cycle from CO₂ capture to the production of utilization products. The total project budget is 1.1392 trillion won, with the feasibility review currently underway and a final decision expected in November.
The demonstration plant, completed as part of the "CCU 3050 Project" led by Hyundai Engineering & Construction, received an investment of 33.8 billion won (17.5 billion won from the government and 16.3 billion won from the private sector) over three years since 2022. The plant implements technology that captures CO₂ emitted during hydrogen production and converts it into liquefied carbonic acid and dry ice. Notably, this demonstration applied the nation's first hybrid commercial-scale technology, combining the conventional "wet capture technology (liquid absorbent-based)" with advanced "membrane separation capture technology."
The completed plant can utilize up to 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, which is expected to have a significant carbon reduction effect. The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to expand the utilization scale to over 1 million tons in the future through technology transfer to the private sector.
An official from the Ministry stated, "This demonstration plant is symbolically significant as it marks the entry of Korea's climate tech industry into the full-fledged industrialization stage," adding, "We will continue to discover and support core climate tech technologies, including CCU, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050."
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