Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS), a state-owned company, proposes to build convergence charging stations for hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses.
Last week, KOGAS inked a shareholder agreement with five firms, including Hyundai Rotem Co., a manufacturer of railway systems and plant equipment, and Samsung C&T Corp., to form ‘High Station’ (tentative name), a joint venture that will build and operate convergent hydrogen charging stations.
The joint venture will build six convergent charging stations near city bus terminals that will be able to charge up to 72 hydrogen-powered buses each day.
The convergence charging stations, unlike standard charging stations that receive and supply hydrogen gas, will use natural gas to manufacture hydrogen on-site.
As a result, the convergence charging stations will be able to consistently and affordably feed hydrogen to hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses and trucks, which require more hydrogen than typical hydrogen passenger vehicles.
Facilities for charging a variety of natural gas-powered vehicles, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG), will be developed at the charging station based on the peculiarities of local vehicle demand.
If a hydrogen bus with a daily mileage of 348 kilometers replaces a diesel bus with a daily mileage of 348 kilometers, it can help to decreasing around 92 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year without causing any greenhouse gas emissions or fine dust.