Gyeonggi Province to Establish Compact Hydrogen City

A hydrogen fuel cell power plant in Dongtan, south of Seoul. (image: Korea Energy Agency)

SUWON, Sept. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — The Gyeonggi provincial government said Thursday it will establish a compact hydrogen city, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality while boosting the local economy.

The provincial government intends to issue a public invitation to cities and counties, urging their participation in the hydrogen energy self-sufficiency city project. This call for involvement is scheduled to conclude by Oct. 6.

Cities and counties interested in taking part can submit applications by forming consortia in collaboration with either public institutions or private companies.

These groups will be granted the opportunity to showcase a model illustrating hydrogen production and its distribution to public facilities within the confines of the mini hydrogen city.

Potential locations for the mini hydrogen city are diverse, encompassing urban areas, rural regions, industrial complexes, and even tourist attractions. There are no constraints regarding the city’s size.

Among the benefits offered to chosen cities and counties is financial support, which can cover up to 50 percent of the overall project expenses or a maximum of 5 billion won (US$3,78 million) over a span of three years.

Proposals that prioritize the production of environmentally friendly hydrogen or that effectively utilize existing hydrogen infrastructure will be allocated extra points in the evaluation process.

Looking ahead, the provincial government aims to designate a single candidate site for the mini hydrogen city within this year, followed by the selection of two additional candidate sites next year.

M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)