Hyosung Heavy Industries' carbon-free hydrogen engine generator has successfully achieved stable operation even in extreme climates, such as extreme cold and heat waves, demonstrating its resiliency in clean hydrogen power generation business.   

On the 21st, Hyosung Heavy Industries announced that the world's first commercialized 1MW hydrogen engine generator has succeeded in sustaining continuous operation for 1,400 hours in a winter climate. Having already proven its stable engine output and efficiency for operations in the summer, this marks a milestone in achieving operational reliability in conditions with extreme temperature changes. 

Hyosung Heavy Industries’ hydrogen engine generator is a cutting-edge product that can produce electricity using only 100% hydrogen, and was installed and rolled out at Hyosung Chemical’s Yongyeon Plant in Ulsan in April last year.      

□ The world’s only hydrogen engine generator in demonstration operational phase                             

Having passed safety inspections with the Korea Gas Safety Corporation and the Korea Electric Safety Corporation, Hyosung Heavy Industries’ hydrogen engine generator has been approved for commercial operations, validating its stability. 

Currently, many domestic and foreign companies are pursuing development of hydrogen engine generators, but most are still in the testing phase, but Hyosung Heavy Industries is the world’s only company to have successfully completed demonstration operations.   

□ Reinforcing highly variable renewable energy generation        

Hyosung Heavy Industries’ hydrogen engine generator does not emit carbon when using only 100% hydrogen as fuel. In addition, given that it can be operated and stopped at will, it makes up for the shortcomings of highly variable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. As a result, it is certain to contribute to achieving the government’s carbon reduction goal.  

□ Cost efficiencies with flexible fuel usage, easy installation and maintenance   

Hydrogen engine generators have a structure similar to that of automobile engines, making it compatible with conventional automobile maintenance facilities and technologies. Therefore, this allows for excellent cost efficiencies with easy installation and maintenance. In addition, they have the advantage of being able to use not only high-purity and low-purity hydrogen, but also a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas.                          

A company official said, “Having tangibly attained the reliability of hydrogen engine generators for all-season operations, which are a key technology for achieving carbon neutrality, we will further advance hydrogen combustion technology to strengthen our competitiveness in the eco-friendly energy market.”  

Meanwhile, Hyosung Heavy Industries signed an agreement with Korea South-East Power in December last year to ‘Jointly Promote Hydrogen Engine Power Generation Projects’ and decided to form a strategic partnership for the future carbon-free power industry. The two companies plan to jointly promote hydrogen power generation projects using hydrogen engines and clean hydrogen, including △power generation projects using hydrogen and hydrogen compound combustion engines, △clean hydrogen production and usage demonstration projects, and △other clean hydrogen and hydrogen compound-related projects and technical cooperation.