SK E&S, Plug Power aim to grow H2 business, supply Asia

SK E&S, Plug Power aim to grow H2 business, supply Asia

Singapore, 2 June (Argus) — South Korean energy firm SK E&S has partnered US fuel cell company Plug Power to accelerate the development of their hydrogen businesses and supply Asian markets, with an aim to establish a hydrogen presence in the region.

SK Plug Hyverse, a joint venture between the two companies, has signed a contract with state-owned Kogas to build a 1MW polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrolytic facility, SK E&S said on 31 May. SK E&S holds a 51pc stake in the joint venture, while Plug Power owns the remaining 49pc.

The facility will decompose water chemically using electricity, generated by the Haengwon wind power complex on Jeju island, to produce green hydrogen. The green hydrogen will then be supplied through various hydrogen refuelling stations in the Jeju region.

PEM-type hydrolysis facilities have a load response capability that allows for relatively stable operations in comparison to alkaline hydrolysis, even in the case of unstable power supplies, according to SK E&S. This makes PEM-type facilities suitable for the production of green hydrogen, as renewable energy power input tends to be intermittent. These facilities can also be miniaturised and have low maintenance costs.

SK Plug Hyverse plans to reach a production capacity of 450 t/yr