Demonstration Project Agreement Signed with Utility Global, USA
Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sangjin) announced on October 24 that it will promote a project to produce hydrogen using biogas generated during the sewage treatment process.
Seongnam City is taking a commemorative photo after signing a memorandum of understanding on the hydrogen production demonstration project using biogas from sewage treatment facilities with Utility Global from the United States on the 24th. Provided by Seongnam City
At 10:30 a.m. on the same day, the city signed a business agreement with Utility Global, a hydrogen production technology company based in Houston, USA, in the second conference room on the fourth floor of City Hall. The agreement concerns a demonstration project for hydrogen production using biogas from sewage treatment facilities.
The signing ceremony was attended by Lim Jongcheol, Deputy Mayor of Seongnam City; Parker Meeks, CEO of Utility Global; Philip Son, Vice President; and Kwon Ohjun, Head of the Korea Office.
Under the agreement, a high-purity hydrogen production demonstration facility will be installed at the Bokjeong-dong Seongnam Water Quality Restoration Center in January 2027 and operated for six months.
This facility will use Utility Global's proprietary technology to convert 504 Nm³ (normal cubic meters) of biogas-which is a methane and carbon dioxide mixture generated during the microbial decomposition of sewage at the Seongnam Water Quality Restoration Center and is currently incinerated without being utilized-into hydrogen with a purity of over 99%.
The daily hydrogen production will be 35 kilograms, which is planned to be supplied to the hydrogen refueling station in Galhyeon-dong, Jungwon-gu.
Thirty-five kilograms of hydrogen is enough to refuel seven hydrogen passenger cars, with each car requiring five kilograms.
To support this, Seongnam City will provide 500 square meters (151 pyeong) of public land for the project and supply biogas, as well as offer administrative support such as granting usage rights and profit from public property.
Utility Global will install the high-purity hydrogen production demonstration facility by the end of next year.
During the demonstration period (January to June 2027), the company will be responsible for operating the facility, supplying, and selling the produced hydrogen.
The hydrogen sales revenue, expected to be 50 million won over the six-month operation, will be donated to Seongnam City and used to support heating and cooling costs for low-income households, thereby giving back to the local community.
A city official stated, "This project will serve as an innovative opportunity for sewage treatment facilities to go beyond their traditional role and lay the foundation for clean energy," adding, "We expect it to enhance ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) values such as carbon neutrality, resource circulation, the establishment of a clean energy base, and strengthening international cooperation."
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