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The waste-to-hydrogen takes organic waste and break it down with microorganisms in a process called anaerobic digestion. This process enables the transformation from waste to biogas. And then biogas is upgraded to biomethane, while removing CO2 and impurities, and biomethane, which is then reformed and reborn as hydrogen.
Waste-to-hydrogen is an advanced technology that has been proven and is already in action in Chungju City, Korea. Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Rotem are participating in a demonstration project for biogas hydrogen production and utilization. It is the world's first facility to produce 500 kg of hydrogen per day using 60 tons of food waste and to operate hydrogen cars in an integrated commercial manner.
The greatest advantage of waste-to-hydrogen is the ability to establish mini hydrogen production hubs at the regional level. Achieving hydrogen resource independence becomes feasible by reducing the cost of the hydrogen transportation and storage process. With these advantages in mind, Hyundai plans to develop specialized resource circulation package projects tailored to different regions and countries.
Non-recycled plastic waste, whether incinerated or disposed of in landfills, results in environmental pollution in the air, soil, and oceans. As of 2019, the plastic recycling rate accounted for only 9%, and the total amount of plastic waste is expected to increase to 1.23 billion tons by 2060.
Plastics that cannot be recycled and end up being incinerated or deposited in landfills - such as contaminated plastic, composite material waste like toys, and vinyl - can be utilized as materials to produce hydrogen, contributing to the solution of waste issues.
The collected plastic waste goes through the stages to be reborn as hydrogen energy. First, in the “preprocessing” stage, impurities like metal, sand, paper are removed, producing plastic waste raw material. Second, with Hyundai Engineering's self-developed “melting” process, the preprocessed plastic waste is heated and stirred to be melted into a viscous liquid state. This process further removes fine impurities. In the gasification process, plastic waste is melted into liquid and introduced into the gasifier alongside oxygen and steam to produce a synthesis gas consisting of CO and H2 using Shell's technology. Lastly, in the synthesis gas refining process, additional H2 is produced through the conversion process of CO, impurities contained in the synthesis gas are removed, and CO2 is separated. This results in the production of high-purity hydrogen from plastic waste, completing the transformation into circular energy.
By utilizing 130,000 tons of plastic waste as a raw material, 24,000 tons of hydrogen can be processed in an environmentally friendly manner per year. the hydrogen from plastic-to-hydrogen can be utilized in various fields such as marine fuel methanoal and hydrogen fuel for FCEV.
Hyundai Motor Group is actively promoting green hydrogen production. Hyundai is developing a megawatt-scale PEM electrolyzer. Compared to classical alkaline method, PEM method is a more promising way to produce green hydrogen in many aspects. Hyundai is aiming to achieve megawatt-scale PEM electrolyzer manufacturing capabilities within the next few years and aim to cut the price by half through sharing our PEM fuel cell components and production facilities.
Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Engineering are involved in the construction of several water electrolysis-based hydrogen production facilities as Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractors.
Hydrogen is produced through various methods: by-product hydrogen is generated in processes like steel manufacturing, reforming hydrogen is extracted from other gases such as natural gas, and green hydrogen is produced via electrolysis.
After production, hydrogen undergoes processing for distribution, is injected into tube trailers after high temperature compression, and is then shipped to various locations. Gaseous hydrogen is managed with an appropriate supply schedule aligned with its production. After being transported via hydrogen transport trucks, the stored hydrogen is finally sold and utilized at hydrogen fueling stations, industrial facilities, and elsewhere.
Hydrogen fuel cell trams serve as environmentally friendly public transportation in complex urban environments, contributing to the purification and generation of clean air, and enhancing the aesthetics of cities.
Operating in a hybrid manner, hydrogen fuel cell trams combine hydrogen fuel cells with electric batteries. Each tram features four 95 kW capacity hydrogen fuel cells, enabling a maximum range of 150 km after a single charge. As a green mobility solution, the hydrogen tram can purify approximately 800 μg of fine dust and generate 107.6 kg of clean air per operational hour.
In 2021, Hyundai Rotem participated in the South Korean government's hydrogen tram development project. By conducting a demonstration project for mass-produced hydrogen trams until 2023, Hyundai Rotem has acquired an independent hydrogen vehicle platform.
In response to the growing demand for eco-friendly rail vehicles both domestically and internationally, Hyundai Rotem plans to expand its lineup beyond hydrogen fuel cell trams; the upcoming lineup includes hydrogen fuel cell high speed train, hydrogen fuel cell multiple unit, hydrogen fuel cell locomotive. Going forward, the company aims to manufacture, export, and distribute these vehicles globally while fostering communication with future customers.
The shift towards a decarbonized society is accelerating, extending beyond the automotive industry to steel manufacturing. In this context, green steel focuses on reducing carbon in the supply chain and minimizing carbon emissions in the production of steel, is gaining attention. Environmentally friendly processes in steel production, such as replacing traditional blast furnaces with electric furnaces, as well as the use of hydrogen and renewable energy instead of coal, can contribute significantly to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions.
Green steel production involves several stages. Hydrogen or renewable energy is supplied to the direct reduction plant (DRP), a facility for the production of direct reduced iron (DRI, HBI), where iron ore reacts with natural gas to produce purified iron by eliminating impurities. The purified iron is then melted in an electric furnace, extracting molten iron with the required components. Subsequently, the material undergoes thinning in hot rolling and final processing through cold rolling and coating to produce eco-friendly steel plates, rebars, and sheets.
Hyundai Steel unveiled its carbon-neutral roadmap, Pathway to Green Steel, in April 2023. The company is aiming to reduce direct and indirect carbon emissions by 12% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. To achieve this, it plans to utilize existing electric furnaces to introduce low-carbon molten iron into the blast furnace operation in the first phase. In the second phase, Hyundai Steel will establish its new proprietary electric furnace as it aims to introduce materials with approximately a 40% reduction in carbon emissions to the market by 2030.
The new electric furnace will incorporate Hyundai Steel's proprietary low-carbon product manufacturing system known as Hy-Cube technology. Hy-Cube is a core technology blending iron scrap, low-carbon molten iron produced in blast furnaces, and hydrogen-reduced direct reduction iron into the new electric furnace, effectively minimizing the environmental impact while producing premium flat products like automotive steel plates. The resulting low-carbon products will be marketed under the exclusive brand name “'HyECOsteel'” and offered to major global customers.
Additionally, Hyundai Steel is committed to solidifying its overseas business model and maximizing synergy through horizontal integration within the Hyundai Motor Group. By actively utilizing hydrogen as a primary off-taker for hydrogen energy, the company aims to evolve into a sustainable and eco-friendly steelmaker.
The world's first mass-produced Class 8 heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric truck by Hyundai Motor Group, XCIENT Fuel Cell has garnered significant success in Europe and the United States, establishing itself as a leading example of hydrogen mobility.
Hyundai Motor Group has continuously supplied XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to key markets such as Switzerland and Germany, earning acclaim for its environmental friendliness and cutting-edge technological prowess.
XCIENT Fuel Cell boasts a 180 kW hydrogen fuel cell system and is capable of delivering a maximum output of 350 kW. Additionally, it has introduced XCIENT Fuel Cell tractor production model tailored specifically for the North American market.
Incorporating the two identical fuel cell systems used in the fuel cell electric vehicle NEXO, the mobile hydrogen fuel cell generator supplies electricity through the fuel cell stack using hydrogen, achieving a maximum output of 160 kW.
The mobile fuel cell generator supplies electricity solely through the fuel cell stack without the need for additional auxiliary power storage devices. It can provide emergency power in situations such as power outages or challenging environments where power supply is difficult. Also It can simultaneously charge two electric vehicles quickly, such as large-capacity electric buses and trucks, as well as cars.