Transitioning to hydrogen-based steelmaking using domestically produced clean hydrogen from nuclear power plants could be a key solution for strengthening international competitiveness and achieving decarbonization, according to a new analysis.
The findings were presented at the final briefing session for the "Hydrogen Energy Highway Basic Plan Research Project" held at the Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government's Eastern Office on Friday, the provincial government said Saturday.
The project comprehensively analyzed hydrogen supply and demand conditions and the industrial environment for hydrogen, a core clean energy source of the future, to assess the feasibility and develop a basic strategy for building hydrogen energy highway infrastructure capable of large-scale storage and transportation.
The research covered environmental analysis and supply-demand projections for hydrogen energy highway construction, basic planning and feasibility studies, analysis of hydrogen storage and transportation methods, conceptual design of the hydrogen energy highway, and plans for linking the highway construction with related projects.
In particular, the study projected that if a foundation for mass production of affordable and stable clean hydrogen using nuclear power is secured in connection with the Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex project, an integrated infrastructure system for hydrogen production and distribution could be established.
The plan involves gradually building hydrogen pipeline networks using oil pipelines or city gas distribution networks to connect the Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex with major regional demand centers.
The study also analyzed that transitioning to hydrogen-based steelmaking using domestically produced clean hydrogen could be a key solution for decarbonization in the regional steel industry, which has been facing difficulties due to recent U.S. steel import tariff increases and the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) implementation.
The provincial government plans to move forward with the "Hydrogen Energy Highway Project" following the briefing session, developing it as a core initiative to lead the transition toward "2050 Carbon Neutrality" and a hydrogen energy ecosystem based on carbon-free fuels.
"The hydrogen energy highway will serve as a critical foundation for Gyeongsangbuk-do's key industries, including steel, to maintain competitiveness amid the global regulatory environment," said Doo Moon-taek, director of the Future Energy and Hydrogen Division at Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government.