Clean hydrogen research involving public, corporate, and academic sectors

The nuclear power industry has rolled up its sleeves to “develop nuclear clean hydrogen technology.” The Korea Atomic Energy Industry Association announced on the 27th that it held a business agreement ceremony for the “development and commercialization of nuclear clean hydrogen technology” through the “Nuclear Clean Hydrogen Business Forum” held at the Novotel Ambassador Hotel in Seoul.

Nuclear clean hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced through a water electrolysis method using electricity and steam generated from nuclear power plants.

Public, private, and academia, including Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Korea Electric Power Corp., Doosan Energy Mobility Co., POSCO Holdings Co., Korea Institute of Energy Research Co., Hydrogen Fusion Alliance Co., Korea Hydrogen and New Energy Association Co., and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, plan to cooperate through business agreements. They plan to jointly carry out tasks such as: development and commercialization of clean hydrogen production technology using nuclear power, development of nuclear clean hydrogen business model to enhance export competitiveness of overseas nuclear power plants, establishment of sustainable nuclear and hydrogen industry ecosystem.

Nuclear power plants have lower electricity sales costs and higher utilization rates than renewable energy such as solar and wind power. Therefore, it is evaluated that the technology development will be a competitive hydrogen production method. Chung Jae-hoon, president of KHNP, said, “It will be a competitive product in the export market of overseas nuclear power plants with the plant business model of ‘export nuclear power + clean hydrogen’.”