Bloom Energy confirmed that, in collaboration with its Korean partner, SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. it has deployed 100 kilowatts of solid-oxide fuel cells powered entirely by hydrogen in Ulsan.
Bloom has a manufacturing/assembly site in Newark and has seen its stock price move up and down on speculation about the potential of green hydrogen in reducing carbon emissions.
Bloom Energy announced its initial plans to enter the commercial hydrogen market in July 2020. Work includes a planned one megawatt hydrogen-powered energy server installation with SK by 2022.
“This deployment marks a significant milestone not only for Bloom, but for the future of hydrogen-based power generation,” said KR Sridhar, CEO of Bloom Energy. “While Bloom’s hydrogen story started more than two decades ago, it’s now the right market timing to introduce hydrogen-powered solutions and help countries meet their net-zero emissions goals. We’re proud of our partnership with SK E&C. Together, we are well-positioned to play an important role in the global hydrogen economy.”
The SOFCs hydrogen byproduct generated by SK Advanced to create power without carbon dioxide emissions. The hydrogen-powered fuel cells are supplied, operated and maintained by Bloom Energy.
Upon completion of the pilot project, Bloom Energy’s hydrogen SOFCs will support South Korea’s Changwon RE100 initiative, as well as projects. Bloom Energy and SK E&C won a competitive bid for the Changwon RE100 to supply Bloom Energy’s hydrogen-powered SOFCs and hydrogen electrolyzers to an industrial complex there.
“Bloom’s state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cell, which represents the pinnacle of power generation efficiency and safety, will allow us to provide clean electricity that will help Korea reach carbon neutrality by 2050,” said Jason Ahn, CEO of SK E&C. “We look forward to playing a leading role in the SK Group’s eco-friendly business expansion, as well as the Korean government’s Green New Deal and carbon neutrality policy.”
In addition, Bloom Energy intends to supply its solid-oxide electrolyzer cells (SOEC), which are designed to produce green hydrogen via solar and battery, to South Korea in 2022 as part of the RE100 project.
The green hydrogen produced by the electrolyzer cells is created through electrolysis by converting water and renewable electricity into hydrogen without carbon emissions. The hydrogen is used to power the hydrogen fuel cells.
