Hyundai Motor Company has announced plans to produce clean hydrogen using biogas from sewage treatment plant waste, in an effort to reduce carbon and promote the hydrogen ecosystem.
The company held a business agreement ceremony on the 24th of April to construct the facility in Cheongju City Hall in Chungcheongbuk-do. The Hyundai Motor Company-Advanced Research Institute consortium was chosen as a private operator in the biogas-using clean hydrogen production facility construction project by the Ministry of Environment in March.
The company plans to build a facility that can produce 500kg of clean hydrogen per day with biogas obtained from organic waste on the site of a public sewage treatment plant in Cheongju by 2024. By 2027, the company plans to increase production to 1,000 kg per day. A hydrogen filling station will also be installed near the site to supply local residents and vehicles for public interest in Cheongju, such as hydrogen buses and hydrogen cleaning trucks.
Hyundai Motor Company’s move to produce clean hydrogen using biogas is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it will reduce carbon emissions, as the biogas obtained from organic waste does not emit greenhouse gases, unlike other forms of hydrogen production that rely on fossil fuels. This will contribute to the company’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.
Secondly, the production of clean hydrogen using biogas will promote the hydrogen ecosystem, which is crucial for the development of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). FCEVs are powered by hydrogen fuel cells, which convert hydrogen into electricity to power the vehicle’s motor. The only emission from FCEVs is water, making them a zero-emission alternative to conventional vehicles that run on fossil fuels. However, the development of FCEVs has been hindered by the lack of hydrogen infrastructure, which includes production, storage, and distribution facilities.
Thirdly, Hyundai Motor Company’s plans to produce clean hydrogen using biogas will provide a model for other companies and industries to follow. The production of clean hydrogen using biogas is a sustainable and renewable solution that can be implemented in various settings, such as industrial parks and urban areas. It can also contribute to the circular economy, as it involves the utilization of organic waste, which would otherwise be disposed of in landfills.
However, there are potential challenges associated with the production of clean hydrogen using biogas. One challenge is the availability and quality of biogas, as it depends on the amount and type of organic waste that is available. Another challenge is the cost of production, which may be higher than other forms of hydrogen production. Additionally, the infrastructure for biogas production and distribution is not as developed as that for other forms of hydrogen production, such as steam methane reforming.
