While hydrogen itself produces zero emissions, some ways of making it can produce greenhouse gases. That’s why South Korea plans to get 100 percent of its hydrogen energy from clean sources by 2050,… as part of its blueprint in becoming a first mover in the hydrogen economy.
By 2050, South Korea aims for its hydrogen fuel energy to come from 100-percent “clean hydrogen energy.” There are three main categories of hydrogen: gray, blue and green depending on how they are made.
Only green, which comes entirely from renewable energy and blue produced from natural gas with carbon capture and storage… are considered clean hydrogen energy.
Currently, South Korea produces only gray hydrogen, made using fossil fuels like natural gas, but in the coming three decades, it will shift completely to clean hydrogen, with 60 percent self sufficiency.
This is only part of the country’s hydrogen economy blueprint announced on Friday, as South Korea aims to become a first mover in the field.
“The journey towards the hydrogen economy, which no one has been on yet, will be very challenging. To make such challenge a turning point for the country in becoming a leader, the government has come up with the first basic plan in achieving a hydrogen economy.”
With the plan by 2050, around 33% of energy needs will be powered by hydrogen fuel, making it the biggest single source of energy in the country. More than 23 percent of energy generation will come from hydrogen by that period, helping the country shift away from fossil fuels.
The plan will make vehicles greener too. From ordinary cars to taxis and trucks to buses, it will be possible to power some 5-point-3 million vehicles by hydrogen.
The country aims to create facilities to support this expansion, by placing some 2-thousand hydrogen fuel chargers across the country.
Combined, the government’s hydrogen economy roadmap is expected to generate economic benefits worth some 1-point-1 trillion U.S. dollars, and create more than 5-hundred-60-thousand jobs.
Most importantly, it will contribute to the nation’s carbon neutral goal, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2-hundred-million tons.
The government has also pledged to train more skilled personnel to push for this goal while cooperating with private firms.
Source: Kim Sung-min, Arirang News.
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