Hyundai Engineering Signs MOU with 6 Partners to Produce Green Hydrogen

Hyundai Engineering announced on June 16 that it has signed an MOU on the development of green hydrogen production technologies with six partners, including POSCO, the North Gyeongsang Province government, the Uljin County Office, the Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST) in Pohang and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced using renewable and nuclear energy without generating carbon dioxide.

The MOU signing ceremony was held through a video conferencing system among the seven entities. They will work on seven sectors -- the development of high temperature hydrogen production technology; the development of high temperature water electrolysis technology; the development of high temperature water electrolysis line design, analysis and production technology; the development of technology for heat exchangers for small reactors; the development and commercialization of nuclear power-based high temperature water electrolysis; verification of the production of hydrogen through the use of nuclear; and the promotion of the local hydrogen economy and the creation of jobs.

They are planning to contribute to Korea securing competitive edge in micro modular reactor (MMR) technology and revving up the hydrogen economy through cooperation.

They will participate in the development of green hydrogen production technology based on active exchanges of human resources, technical information, research facilities and equipment among others.

The core of this agreement is hydrogen production using a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (GCR). It is a high-efficiency energy production technology that produces a large amount of hydrogen via water electrolysis at a high temperature of 750 degrees Celsius, which is generated during electricity production. Greenhouse gases are not generated during this production process. Unlike an ordinary nuclear reactor, a gas-cooled reactor uses helium gas as a coolant, which lowers the risk of radioactive contamination.