World’s largest hydrogen fuel cell power plant to power 270,000 homes in South Korea
The new hydrogen fuel cell plant is expected to start powering homes by 2028.
outh Korea has officially broken ground on the world’s largest hydrogen fuel cell power plant, which is expected to generate enough clean electricity to power around 270,000 households annually.
Located in Gyeongju, in the North Gyeongsang province, the 108-megawatt (MW) Gangdong Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power Generation Project is set to become fully operational by 2028.
Gyeongju City Council representatives stated that the plant will deliver baseload electricity to the national grid and catalyze regional industrial growth.
The project, backed by a total investment of USD 580.7 million, is being delivered through the Regional Revitalization Investment Fund. The fund combines contributions from the government, local authorities, and private sector investors.
It has previously supported projects like the Jeonnam LNG Terminal and Danyang Tourism Complex.
Lee Cheol-woo, North Gyeongsang governor, revealed, highlighting the project’s importance, said:
Energy is the rice of the future industry,
A hydrogen revolution
Once fully operational, the new facility will surpass the 79-megawatt Shin Incheon Vision Dream plant, designed to supply green electricity to around 250,000 households and provide heating for an additional 44,000 homes.
Capable of powering 270,000 households per year, the Gangdong Hydrogen Fuel Cell plant is projected to play a critical role in meeting the country’s renewable energy goals and position Gyeongju as a strategic energy and industrial hub.
The novel facility will use grey hydrogen, which is the most widely produced type of hydrogen at the moment. It will be produced on-site from natural gas, to generate electricity through high-efficiency fuel cells.
While green hydrogen remains the long-term goal, officials see this project as a bridge technology that will stabilize the grid and accelerate the country’s shift away from fossil fuels.
The plant has secured a 20-year renewable energy certificate (REC) contract to ensure financial viability, providing consistent revenue through South Korea’s energy credit market.
Investment in green energy
According to Lee Cheol-woo, private capital plays a significant role in the project’s structure. This financial engineering is closely watched as a model for future clean energy infrastructure across the region.
The governor believes that the plant will transform the region, while at the same time strengthening local capacity to plan and implement essential investment projects independently.
Cheol-woo, explained:
This Gangdong hydrogen fuel cell power generation project was also promoted as an extension of the private investment and energy transformation policy, and will be the starting point for connecting energy policy with advanced industry investment policy,
Estimates suggest that the facility will become operational by March 2028, create about 1,200 jobs, and generate more than USD 52 million in corporate tax revenue.
It is also forecasted to help attract power-intensive industries such as AI data centers, smart farms, as well as advanced manufacturing to the area.
Cheol-woo said,
I will pay special attention to subsequent investment projects because it is important not only to build one power plant simply, but also to link the region’s abundant power sources to the future industrial investment,
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World’s largest hydrogen fuel cell power plant to power 270,000 homes in South Korea, source
