Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), the U.S.-based global leader in the deployment of fourth-generation gas-cooled microreactors, Hyundai Engineering (Representative Director Hong Hyun-sung) and SK ecoplant (Representative Director Park Kyung-il) are teaming up to conduct research and development for carbon-free H₂ production. The three companies signed an MoU on Thursday, April 20th for the construction of a H₂ micro hub at the SK ecoplant headquarters in Seoul's Jongno-gu.

The H₂ micro hub is a facility that produces H₂ by applying a high-temperature electrolysis process of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) to the electricity and high-temperature steam generated by USNC’s micro-modular reactor (MMR). This is a carbon-free H₂ production method that extracts H₂ by decomposing water with electricity generated from nuclear power.

Under the agreement, the three companies will jointly conduct research and development on the MMR-SOEC integrated plant for the next five years. Through this, they plan to examine the establishment of a competitive H₂ production system and promote continuous research and development and verification for future H₂ production and supply businesses.

Hyundai Engineering will oversee the MMR-related Balance of Plant and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) tasks in this project, while USNC will be responsible for MMR design, manufacturing, and supply. SK ecoplant will establish a nuclear power-based H₂ production system using Bloom Energy's SOEC and supply H₂ production equipment.

In this project, Hyundai Engineering and USNC will utilize a micro modular nuclear power plant based on a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) being demonstrated in the Chalk River region of Canada. Compared to commercial pressurized water reactor-based nuclear power plants, this technology can generate relatively high-temperature steam, enabling the use of SOEC operating at high temperatures, which can maximize H₂ production efficiency with less energy.

Meanwhile, SK ecoplant has successfully tested H₂ production through electrolysis using a 130 kW-scale SOEC facility located at the Bloom SK Fuel Cell manufacturing plant in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, in cooperation with Bloom Energy and Bloom SK Fuel Cell. It is also participating in a government-led green H₂ production demonstration project, having been recognized for its unique technological capabilities in efficient H₂ production.

The company is also pursuing a project to convert green H₂ into ammonia or methanol, which have high storage capabilities. It is evaluated as having a complete renewable energy-based green H₂ value chain, from renewable energy project development to related equipment production and EPC to green H₂ production. In addition to this H₂ micro hub cooperation, SK ecoplant is diversifying its zero-carbon emission H₂ production model to include pink H₂, which is produced by electrolyzing water using electricity from nuclear power generation.

Hong Hyun-seong, CEO of Hyundai Engineering, said, "We have signed a three-party agreement to develop an environmentally friendly business that economically produces and supplies H₂ by combining MMR and SOEC technologies." He also stated that Hyundai Engineering is making efforts in various fields such as recycling plastic waste, resource utilization, offshore wind power, solar power and expanding infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, to leap forward as a global eco-energy company.

Park Kyung-il, CEO of SK ecoplant, said, "SOEC is a good partner that can take advantage of MMR's advantages by operating at high temperatures and producing high-efficiency H₂ with minimal energy consumption," and added that the company will lead the production of zero-carbon emission H₂, including economically feasible nuclear power utilization H₂ production, in addition to the renewable energy-based green H₂ value chain model that it has secured.

Francesco Venneri, CEO of USNC, said, "The H₂ micro hub is an efficient and economical H₂ production plant that can produce H₂ on a scale required at the local site." He also said, "The three companies, SK ecoplant, Hyundai Engineering and USNC, will contribute to the efficient establishment of a H₂ economy based on the MMR-SOEC integrated plant."