April 2022 - Air Liquide Korea is also helping to develop the hydrogen ecosystem further through its participation in the two Korean hydrogen mobility consortiums, HyNet and KOHYGEN, respectively dedicated to the deployment of light-duty and heavy-duty hydrogen stations. Air Liquide is the only industrial gas company participating in both consortiums.
In 2019, 13 hydrogen companies with interests in the hydrogen space established a special purpose company (SPC) with the goal of building 100 HRS by 2022.
Those companies were KOGAS, Hyundai Motors, Woodside, Nel, Valmax, Bumhan, SPG Hydrogen, JNK Heaters, Kolon Industries, Hyosung Heavy Industries, Air Liquide, Deokyang and Ecobio Holdings and together they invested a total of (£87m) into the SPC.HyNet started building 20 HRS in 2019 and plans to build a further 20 in 2020 and 30 more in 2021 and 2022. Despite a degree of government involvement, HyNet acts as a private sector player investing 50% CAPEX on top of the government’s 50% subsidy for HRS. There are now plans to copy this model with the formation of another SPC, called BusNet, to build HRS for FCEBs.
BusNet - does it remind you of a company? Buse Hygear JV.
May 2018, Xebec announce a strategic partnership, with JNK Heaters Co. Ltd. of Korea to advance biogas upgrading and on-site hydrogen generation solutions. Through this collaboration, JNK will exclusively market the Xebec biogas solutions in Korea and India and use Xebec innovative pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology in their on-site steam methane reformer (SMR)-based hydrogen generation products. Additionally, Xebec will have exclusive rights to manufacture and market JNK’s SMR-based on-site hydrogen generators in North America and Europe. Both companies will also explore opportunities to collaborate in the Chinese market.
Although dozens of UK companies are active in the power generation sector in Korea, we don’t see as much activity in the HRS space. HyNet is open for partnering with UK companies, especially those that have mobile refuelling solutions – an area in which HyNet is interested in expanding its business. Mr Won Sik KIM, Head of Infrastructure Department – HyNet
Although Korea is currently focusing on grey and blue hydrogen solutions as a short-term strategy, I believe we need to start a large-scale implementation of green hydrogen technology. European economies, especially the UK have immense experience in this field which opens great opportunities for companies in both countries. Mr Seunghoon LEE, General Manager – Hydrogen Convergence Alliance (H2Korea)
It should be noted that the UK and Korea signed a Memorandum of Understanding in fuel cell and hydrogen technology which may be a useful starting point for British companies in the space looking at the Korean market.
The UK and Korean governments signed an MOU in 2013 on the fuel cell technology collaboration