December 01, 2024

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Hyundai Motor Company CEO Jang Jae-hoon (third from right) explores the company's booth at the H2 MEET 2024 exhibition held on Wednesday at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. (Hyundai Motor Group)

The H2 MEET 2024, a major global exhibition on hydrogen technology held in South Korea, kicked off Wednesday at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, to showcase the latest innovations in hydrogen technology, including key contributions from Hyundai Motor Group.

This year’s exhibition runs for three days and is the largest in the event’s five-year history, bringing together 317 companies and organizations from 24 countries.

“This is a great opportunity to showcase Korean innovation and drive global hydrogen collaborations. The government is fully behind these efforts, backing initiatives like clean hydrogen power development and broader adoption of hydrogen buses,” said Choi Nam-ho, second vice minister of trade, industry, and energy at the opening ceremony.

Exhibitors are putting forward solutions that span the full spectrum of hydrogen applications. These include hydrogen-powered mobility, such as engines for tractors and cargo bikes, and technologies for clean hydrogen production, like water electrolysis and carbon capture. Also on display are advanced methods for storing and transporting hydrogen, from liquefied hydrogen tanks to specialized pipelines and refueling stations.

The event also provides a platform for discussion and collaboration. Global hydrogen trends will be discussed at The Leaders Summit, and 12 nations -- including the US, Australia and Canada -- will present their hydrogen policies for the “Country Day” initiative. The H2 Innovation Award will recognize standout technologies and companies, while an Export Consultation program aims to help South Korean businesses expand into international markets.

Hyundai Motor Group's exhibition booth at H2 MEET 2024. (Hyundai Motor Group)

One of the major exhibitors at the event is Hyundai Motor Group.

“We’re using this event to showcase Hyundai’s full range of hydrogen technologies, from production to end-use, showing our commitment to driving the shift toward a hydrogen-powered society,” said Hyundai Motor Company CEO Jang Jae-hoon during the opening ceremony.

The first of Hyundai’s four main exhibition areas is energy security. This part of the exhibition highlights the company’s waste-to-hydrogen and plastic-to-hydrogen systems, which convert organic and plastic waste into hydrogen fuel. Hyundai will showcase its Chungju Resource Circulation Hydrogen Production Facility, the first of its kind in Korea. The facility can produce 500 kilograms of clean hydrogen daily from biogas sourced from food waste and livestock manure at a public sewage plant. This exhibition also features polymer electrolyte membrane, or PEM, water electrolysis technology, which produces high-purity hydrogen -- a key component for many industrial uses. A model of Hyundai’s first PEM-based hydrogen production plant, currently being built in Buan, will be on display.

Another major theme is decarbonizing high-emissions industrial complexes, particularly ports and airports. Hyundai is spotlighting its efforts to reduce carbon in logistics operations at ports like those in California, where its NorCAL Zero project is underway. The company is working with Incheon International Airport Corp. to digitize operations and reduce emissions through hydrogen-powered vehicles and equipment.

Hyundai’s commitment to industrial hydrogen applications extends to improving logistics. The company is showing how it is transitioning its logistics systems from traditional internal combustion engine trucks to hydrogen-powered vehicles. This shift is already happening in places like Georgia, where Hyundai’s Exiant hydrogen-electric trucks are part of an eco-friendly logistics network at the company’s Metaplant America facility.

The final section of Hyundai’s exhibit ponders what a future hydrogen-based society might look like. Here, visitors can explore how hydrogen fuel cells are already being used in various forms of transportation, from ships to forklifts, and how they can power heavy equipment like trams. Hyundai Rotem’s hydrogen-powered electric tram, for example, can be experienced through virtual reality at the exhibition.

When asked about further collaborations in the hydrogen sector, Hyundai Motor CEO Jang hinted at ongoing discussions in the commercial space.

“Our collaborations with external companies, especially in the commercial arena, are showing real promise. There’s a lot of excitement, and we’ll share more details when the timing is right,” he said.

By Moon Joon-hyun (mjh@heraldcorp.com)