On January 17, the Korean government compiled road map for hydrogen powered economy to work out a long-term strategy for hydrogen energy of the country.

It has laid down a concrete numerical target as of 2040 aiming at the production of 2.9 million FCVs for domestic use and 3.3 million FCVs for export, with 1,200 hydrogen stations domestically, and to attain the hydrogen supply volume of about 526 tons/year by means of utilizing hydrogen from a renewable energy and setting up of a nationwide hydrogen pipeline network.

Looking at the target number of FCV in more detail, it consists of 5.9 million passenger cars, 60,000 buses, 120,000 taxies and 120,000 trucks. Out of the largest allotted number of passenger cars, 3.15 million cars are planned for export. It seems to mean that the numerical values have been set up overseeing the future global requirements for pollution-free vehicles as seen in the USA where many states are adopting ZEV (zero emission vehicle) and China which enacted NEV (new energy vehicle) in 2018.

It is planned to make out a system to produce annual 100,000 FCVs by 2025 reducing their prices down to the level of gasoline cars. In proportion of the planned number of FCV, the number of hydrogen stations will be increased from the current 14 locations to 310 location in 2022 and 1,200 locations in 2040.

In other than the mobility-related field, the map referred to the power-generating fuel cells and the fuel cells for household/building use. The former is aimed for a diffusion of 15GW (8GW for domestic use) and the latter for a diffusion of 2.1GW. As for the power-generating fuel cells, the government is going to back the diffusion plan by establishing a new LNG rate plan dedicated for fuel cells within the first half term of 2019.

In addition to these measures at the consumer side, an increase in the hydrogen supplying capacity is also put in sight. The road map shows the current hydrogen supply of the country at 130,000 tons annually (1% of byproduct and 99% of reformed natural gas).

According to the plan, an additional supply of 50,000 tons of byproduct hydrogen will respond to an initial increase of demand, and renewable energy will be utilized as well as a procurement from hydrogen　plants abroad, leading to realization of 470,000 tons as of 2022, 1.94 million tons as of 2030 and ultimately 5.26 million tons in 2040.

Along with the increased volume of procurement, the price reduction of hydrogen for mobility use will be made down to about half (6,000 won/kg equivalent of about 600 yen) of the rate for gasoline cars and be brought step by step down to 3,000 won (300 yen) in 2040.

Korea intends to accomplish 43 trillion won/year (about 4.3 trillion yen) in 2040 creating an employment of 400,000 persons by the development of such hydrogen energy.