South Korea has set plans, released on 20 March 2019, to shift its entire commercial vehicles – including trucks and construction equipment – to run on hydrogen fuel cells by 2035. The efforts are set to address the problem of fine dust particles, according to the Transport Minister-nominee Choi Jeong-ho. According to The Korea Herald, Choi plans to first commercial hydrogen-powered trains after 2025 with the aim to completing R&D along with trials runs by 2022 followed by plans to designate a pilot city to form a green city, home to hydrogen-powered buses and hydrogen transit centers.

The Industry Ministry announced – on the same day – it would invest in 23 renewable energy projects over the next 3 to 4 years with about ₩130 billion (€102 million). These include key developments and demonstrations renewable energy technologies, production base of high-efficient biogas as well as a renewable convergence system in the agriculture sectors.

These plans come right after 10 March, where the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced plans to build a hydrogen economy with the special purpose company HyNet (Hydrogen energy Network) – with an investment of ₩135 billion (€105 million) – which will lead the construction of hydrogen charging infrastructure. With thirteen companies joining forces to establish the special purpose corporation, HyNet aims to install 100 hydrogen refuelling stations – from its current fourteen – in South Korea by 2022 and to be operated until 2029.

South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy already announced on 10 March plan to build a hydrogen economy with the special purpose company HyNet (Hydrogen energy Network) which will lead the construction of hydrogen charging infrastructure. Thirteen companies have joined forces to establish the special purpose corporation HyNet aiming to install 100 hydrogen refuelling stations – from its current 14 – in South Korea by 2022 and to be operated until 2029.

Korea Gas Corp. and Hyundai Motor are the two largest shareholders with a total investment – including the other eleven companies – of 135 billion won ($118.7 million) to set up HyNet. Hyundai Motor already introduced its $6.7 billion “FCEV Vision 2030” roadmap to increase its annual production capacity for fuel cell systems from the current 2,000 units to 700,000 by 2030. 500,000 of these FCEVs are planned for use in passenger and commercial vehicles with the remaining 200,000 used for other industrial applications.

Earlier this month Nel Korea, a subsidiary of Nel ASA, was the latest company to join the joint venture. Nel intends to sell H2Stations both directly to the HyNet joint venture as well as directly to other customers. Nel will further evaluate to invest in HyNet depending on the number of possible hydrogen stations sales.