This phoro provided by Korea Electric Power Corp. shows the state-run company’s headquarters building in Naju, South Jeolla Province.
SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s state power firm Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) will promote the joint use of its in-house greenhouse gas decomposition technology with the Korea National Railway, a railroad construction and management company, as part of efforts to limit carbon dioxide emissions.
The company announced on Wednesday that it had signed an agreement for joint use of the sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) decomposition technology with the Korea National Railway.
SF6 is a flagship greenhouse gas that is a compound of sulfur and fluorine. SF6, in general, is used as an insulating gas for power facility switches.
After one year of research and development, KEPCO succeeded in developing new technology that can decompose high-concentrated SF6 at a high temperature of 1,200 degrees Celsius and turn hazardous material into non-hazardous material by cooling and neutralizing it.
The first unit of the decomposition facilities will be completed in June next year, with an annual processing capacity of 60 tons. KEPCO plans to build up to six units that would have an annual processing capacity of more than 300 tons.
With these facilities, the company plans to turn 6,000 tons of SF6 that it currently holds into non-hazardous material by 2050.
Once the final contract is completed after the agreement is wrapped up, the Korea National Railway will be able to process its SF6 without having to incur additional expenses.
For KEPCO, the amount of decomposition can be acknowledged as an external greenhouse gas reduction project, thereby enabling it to acquire offsetting emissions rights.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
