The South Korean government has announced plans to burn 30pc hydrogen at its gas-fired power plants by 2035 and 20pc ammonia in 24 of its coal-fired power plants by 2030.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has set up a hydrogen development demonstration team to help develop the technology. “It is being evaluated as a way to achieve carbon neutrality by reducing greenhouse gases while utilising the existing power infrastructure,” the ministry says. Hydrogen and Ammonia can be burned at these ratios without significant modifications being needed to existing generating capacity.

South Korea announced its Hydrogen Economy Roadmap in January 2019. The government is planning to increase the annual domestic use of hydrogen from 220,000t/yr currently to 3.9mn t/yr by 2030 and 27mn t/yr by 2050.

30pc – Ratio of hydrogen South Korea wants to burn in its gas-fired power plants

The Roadmap also outlines the goal of rolling out at least 35 hydrogen buses in 2019, 2000 in 2022, and 41,000 in 2040, as well as at least 1,200 refilling stations by 2040. Last month, state South Korea’s Hydrogen Convergence Alliance signed an agreement with oil and gas firm QatarEnergy to cooperate on expanding hydrogen supply chains.

And mining and metals firm BHP and South Korean steelmaker Posco are undertaking trials to use hydrogen-based direct reduction technology to reduce the carbon intensity of the steelmaking process. 

Global co-firing

Jera—a joint venture between Japanese utilities Tokyo Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power—has a goal of eventually replacing 30pc of the natural gas it uses to generate power with hydrogen. The firm operates 26 power plants across Japan and is running trial at one of its gas-fired power plants.

Jera and engineering firm IHI are also trialling co-firing ammonia and coal at Jera's Hekinan plant.

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Author: Tom Young