SK E&S, a part of South Korean conglomerate SK Group, has partnered with GE Vernova, Air Liquide Engineering & Construction, Chungcheongnam-do Government, and Korea Midland Power (KOMIPO) for the construction of the largest low-carbon hydrogen plant in Korea.

To this end, SK E&S and its global partners and local government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on December 2 at COP28. The MoU aims for the mass production of low-carbon hydrogen, leading to the early establishment of the domestic hydrogen ecosystem and contributing to global carbon neutrality.

The proposed plant will be located in Boryeong City, Chungcheongnam-do. Air Liquide Engineering & Construction will handle hydrogen production and liquefaction equipment, while GE will manufacture hydrogen/natural gas co-fired turbines. Chungcheongnam-do will provide administrative support and permits for the hydrogen project, and KOMIPO will support project management and maintenance for the entire plant construction.

Through the agreement, SK E&S intends to play a key role in the stable production and supply of 250,000 tons of low-carbon hydrogen annually and use it for mobility and power generation. SK E&S also announced the plan to use carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to capture carbon dioxide emitted during the hydrogen production process and store it in a depleted gas field.

The South Korean company is also collaborating with Plug Power, K-water and SK Plug Hyverse, a joint venture between SK E&S and Plug Power, on advancing the green hydrogen sector both domestically and internationally with a focus on promoting electrolyzers.