South Korean initiative targets 100MW electrolyser plant designs

The South Korean government has launched a project aiming to develop designs for green hydrogen plants over 100MW in capacity.

Led by Hyundai E&C, it will feature a consortium made up of Hyundai Motor, business conglomerate Hanwha, Korea Midland Power, the Institute for Future Standards, and a pair of Korean universities.

Hyundai E&C is set to develop a basic design package and conduct feasibility studies under the project, which aims to apply AI solutions to “enhance the stability and reliability” of electrolysis.

According to Hyundai, the project targets developing a “comprehensive solution” for commercialisation.

It did not specify a timeline or prospective investment figure for the project.

Standardised electrolyser designs are increasingly being adopted across the hydrogen sector as manufacturers look to reduce project complexity and cost.

Companies like Electric Hydrogen, Longi, ITM Power, and Nel have all launched large-scale plant designs aimed at cutting on-site construction costs.

It comes as South Korea continues to ramp up hydrogen investments in research and development, production, and with an emerging focus in mobility and transport infrastructure.

It hydrogen-powered vehicles in a program planned to replace the country’s police cars with zero-emission vehicles by 2055.  This week, Seoul transport operator it would convert CNG refuelling infrastructure in the area of the capital to hydrogen as it introduces 480 hydrogen buses by 2032.

However, the Hydrogen Council’s Global Compass Report 2026 recently identified that ambitions within the Korean Clean Hydrogen Portfolio Standard programme have dropped from a target of 3TWh energy from hydrogen in 2025 to 500GWh in 2026.