[월간수소경제 이종수 기자] The conversion of hydrogen buses to public transport in Seoul and the establishment of charging infrastructure is expected to begin in earnest.
SK E&S announced on the 7th that it had signed a business agreement with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Ministry of Environment, Hyundai Motor Company, and T-map at Seoul City Hall.
The event was attended by Environment Minister Han Hwa-jin, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, SK E&S CEO Choo Hyung-wook, Hyundai Motor President Jang Jae-hoon, and Tmap Mobility CEO Lee Jong-ho.
According to the agreement, 700 hydrogen buses by 2025 and 1,300 hydrogen buses by 2030, including airport buses, city buses, and commuter buses, will be introduced to Seoul, and five hydrogen bus charging stations will be set for stable operation of hydrogen buses. install
In particular, diesel buses going to and from Gimpo Airport and Incheon Airport in Seoul will be converted to hydrogen buses. By 2026, 70% of the total, or 300 units, will be converted to hydrogen buses by 2030. Through this, Seoul is expected to take one step closer to achieving its goal of becoming a carbon-neutral city in 2050 .
Large diesel buses emit 30 times more greenhouse gases and 43 times more fine dust than ordinary passenger cars, so it is essential to switch to environmentally friendly vehicles. Hydrogen buses have a shorter charging time than electric buses and can travel more than 600 km on a single charge, making them particularly suitable for airport buses operating on fixed long-distance routes.
SK E&S is responsible for the stable production and supply of liquid hydrogen, the fueling of hydrogen buses, and the establishment and operation of charging infrastructure in a timely manner. Liquid hydrogen has 12 times more transport capacity than gaseous hydrogen and takes half the charging time, making it suitable as a fuel for commercial hydrogen vehicles such as buses and trucks.
SK E&S plans to produce and supply up to 30,000 tons of liquid hydrogen per year at the Incheon liquid hydrogen plant from the end of this year.
In addition, a hydrogen transportation complex with hydrogen charging and storage facilities and car maintenance and washing facilities will be created at the T2 route bus parking lot of Incheon Airport to establish a full hydrogen ecosystem.
The Ministry of Environment will provide administrative and financial support for the conversion of hydrogen buses such as public transport and airport buses and the establishment of charging stations to create a ‘leading hydrogen mobility city, Seoul’.
Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd. cooperates in the timely production and supply of hydrogen buses, and T Map Mobility, as an airport bus transportation operator, helps to convert transit airport buses to hydrogen buses.
Choo Hyeong-wook, CEO of SK E&S, said, “The introduction of hydrogen public transport such as airport buses and city buses in densely populated Seoul and other metropolitan areas will be a meaningful first step towards achieving carbon neutrality in the transport sector.” “We will contribute to opening the era of an ‘eco-friendly hydrogen bus’ that citizens can experience by supplying liquid hydrogen.”
