The first commercial 'hydrogen production base based on water electrolysis' in Korea held its completion ceremony on the 24th at the Buan New Renewable Energy Complex in Jeollabuk-do and officially began operations. This base is the first case of producing clean energy on a commercial scale without any carbon emissions, and it is evaluated as a significant step forward in establishing a hydrogen ecosystem that encompasses hydrogen production, supply, and utilization in Jeollabuk-do.

The completion ceremony was attended by around 100 people, including Kim Jong-hoon, the head of the Economic Department of Jeollabuk-do, Kwon Ik-hyun, the mayor of Buan County, and Kim Jung-gi, a member of the Culture, Safety, and Fire Committee of the Jeollabuk-do Provincial Council, as well as representatives from participating companies such as the Korea Hydrogen Association, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Hyundai Construction, Techcross Water & Energy.

The hydrogen production base was selected for the 2022 public offering project of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and has been pursued for three years. Jeollabuk Techno Park organized the project, with the participation of four companies including Hyundai Construction, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, Techcross Water & Energy, and Techcross Environmental Services.

The base, built on a site of 5,426 square meters with a building area of 1,500 square meters, can produce 1 ton of hydrogen per day based on a 2.5MW-class water electrolysis facility. By extracting hydrogen through electrolysis of water, it is possible to produce 'clean hydrogen' without carbon dioxide emissions by utilizing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. The produced hydrogen is supplied to the Buan hydrogen charging station and research facilities after undergoing compression.

The total project cost was 11.97 billion won, with 5.43 billion won from the national government, 1 billion won from the provincial government, 2 billion won from the county government, and 3.54 billion won from private investment. The base is equipped with shipping facilities that can compress hydrogen up to 250 bar for external distribution.

An official from Jeollabuk-do stated, "This hydrogen production base is the starting point for the future clean energy industry and a core hub for creating a hydrogen ecosystem linked to the local economy," and expressed the intention to accelerate the realization of the hydrogen economy centered around Buan.