SK Plug Hyverse liquefied hydrogen fueling station in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, Korea (Image provided by SK E&S)
SEOUL, Jun. 26 (Korea Bizwire) –In a significant step towards a hydrogen-powered future, SK E&S announced on June 27 the completion of South Korea’s first liquid hydrogen refueling station in Gyeonggi Province. The facility, the Icheon Daeheung Liquid Hydrogen Refueling Station, was inaugurated in Daewol-myeon, Icheon.
The station is operated by SK Plug Hyverse (Hyverse), a joint venture established in January 2022 between SK E&S and the U.S.-based Plug Power to spearhead hydrogen initiatives in Asia.
Selected for the Ministry of Environment’s hydrogen station installation support program in 2022, construction began in August 2023 and was successfully completed earlier this year after the successful conclusion of operational tests.
The state-of-the-art facility boasts a 4-ton liquid hydrogen storage tank, cryogenic pumps, and two fueling dispensers. With a capacity of 120 kg/h, it can refuel approximately 6 hydrogen buses per hour or 120 buses daily.
Strategically located within the parking lot of SK Hynix’s Icheon campus, the station will primarily serve the company’s employee shuttle buses, marking a significant step in implementing the “ESG Leading Companies Hydrogen Commuter Bus Conversion Agreement” signed in May of last year.
The agreement, involving the Ministry of Environment, major corporations, local governments, and transportation companies, aims to convert over 2,000 existing internal combustion engine commuter buses to hydrogen buses by 2026.
The Icheon station will receive its liquid hydrogen supply from SK E&S’s Incheon Liquid Hydrogen Plant, which opened in May. This plant, the world’s largest single-factory liquid hydrogen production facility, can produce 30,000 tons of liquid hydrogen annually.
Chung Sunhwa, director general of Air Quality Policy at the Ministry of Environment, emphasized the multiple benefits of hydrogen-powered commuter buses, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved air quality, and enhanced commuting experiences for employees.
SK E&S Vice President Soh Yoo Sup highlighted the advantages of liquid hydrogen refueling stations for large commercial vehicles, predicting their widespread adoption alongside the increasing use of hydrogen buses and other commercial vehicles. He reaffirmed SK E&S’s commitment to establishing a stable hydrogen supply ecosystem through their liquid hydrogen production and refueling businesses.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
