Electrolysis-based 35MPa S-HRS System
Expected to Expand Small-Scale Urban Hydrogen Stations
First in Korea to Receive CE Certification in Hydrogen Compressor Category
GTC Co., Ltd. (CEO Wonjin Lee), a specialist manufacturer of industrial compressors, announced on the 7th that it has successfully developed Korea’s first compact hydrogen refueling system capable of producing, storing, and dispensing hydrogen using a water-electrolysis method powered by solar and other renewable energy sources.
The newly developed 35MPa S-HRS (Simple Hydrogen Refueling Station), based on AEM electrolysis technology, has already been installed at its first demonstration site located within the premises of Gyeongnam Energy, where it began trial operations on the 5th.
A second unit will be installed at the Korea Automobile Research Institute in January next year to undergo additional demonstration testing.
Because of its compact footprint and ease of installation, this small-scale hydrogen refueling system is expected to significantly support deployments in downtown and suburban areas.
Additionally, its integrated “Hamo-ye” system — which manages charging availability, vehicle queue monitoring, and reservations — alongside a unified control platform, is expected to maximize user convenience and station utilization.
GTC CEO Wonjin Lee stated,
“Hydrogen refueling stations have long faced challenges entering dense urban areas. If this technology continues to operate reliably, I believe that within the next 3 to 5 years, many small hydrogen stations can be deployed directly in city centers. We will take the lead in establishing hydrogen refueling infrastructure by applying our accumulated hydrogen compressor and hydrogen compression-package technologies beyond industrial compressors.”
GTC’s 35MPa S-HRS system was selected in early 2022 as the lead project in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s program, “Development and Demonstration of Electrolysis-Based 35MPa S-HRS System.”
This government R&D initiative aims to support Korea’s carbon-neutral and Green New Deal policies by developing and demonstrating small-scale renewable-energy-linked electrolysis hydrogen production and refueling systems, with the objective of expanding hydrogen refueling infrastructure nationwide.
The development period for the S-HRS system is 45 months. Companies and institutions participating in the technology development and demonstration include YEST, OCI Power, Mirae Standards Laboratory, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials, Changwon Industry Promotion Agency, Gyeongnam Energy, and the Korea Automobile Research Institute.
As part of the first phase, the nation’s first ON-Site electrolysis-based 35MPa green hydrogen refueling station — operating entirely on electricity generated from solar power — was completed on the 5th at the Gyeongnam Energy site and will undergo demonstration operations through June next year.
GTC has been actively investing in hydrogen technologies since 2017, when it first began developing hydrogen compressors. The company successfully localized a “Hydraulic-Type Ultra-High-Pressure Large-Capacity Hydrogen Compressor for Refueling Stations,” earning NET (New Excellent Technology) certification in 2019, followed by two “Innovative Product” certifications and one NEP (New Excellent Product) certification from the Public Procurement Service in 2021.
Since October 2020, the company has been operating a renewable-energy-linked hydrogen (600kg) and battery (2MWh) storage system developed for Jeju Energy Corporation, the project’s lead agency. GTC also completed development of a large-capacity (80kg/hr) compressor using a world-first dual-drive method that powers both diaphragm and hydraulic-piston compression mechanisms with a single motor.
Additionally, this month GTC became the first company in Korea to acquire the European CE certification for hydrogen compressors, positioning itself to advance toward becoming a global technology leader.
Source: Gas News (https://www.gasnews.com)
