The Ministry of Environment and the Korea Water Resources Corp. on July 22 announced the launch of the supply of green hydrogen produced from hydroelectric energy to charging stations nationwide. Shown is the green hydrogen facility at Seongnam Water Purification Plant in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province. (Ministry of Environment)

By Charles Audouin

The country for the first time will start supplying green hydrogen, or hydrogen produced from the generation of hydroelectric energy, to charging stations nationwide.

The Ministry of Environment and the Korea Water Resources Corp. on July 22 announced this at a ceremony for the first shipment of green hydrogen at Seongnam Water Purification Plant in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do Province.

Construction of the green hydrogen facility at the plant began in 2022 and was completed in September 2023 with an investment of KRW 4.4 billion. Its purpose is to form the basis for expanding the national volume of hydrogen-powered cars.

The facility uses electricity produced from hydropower to electrolyze water and create green hydrogen that emits no greenhouse gases. Up to 188 kg of hydrogen can be made daily, enough to charge some 40 passenger cars, and up to 62 tons per year.  

The green hydrogen from October will be directly supplied to charging stations via pipeline.

The ministry is also collaborating with Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, and Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, to build such plants at dams in both regions. The completion of the two facilities in 2028 will raise daily output of green hydrogen by 1,069 kg, a volume sufficient to charge 214 passenger cars.

caudouin@korea.kr