KTC-H2Korea Collaboration in Building Clean Hydrogen Certification Infrastructure
"Preparation for the 2024 Clean Hydrogen Certification System: Collaboration Established with H2KOREA"
The Korea Testing Certification (KTC) announced that it has signed a business agreement with the Hydrogen Fusion Alliance, known as H2KOREA, on the 23rd of Nov to prepare for the upcoming Clean Hydrogen Certification System slated for 2024 and to assist in boosting the domestic hydrogen industry.
H2KOREA, formed in 2017 as a public-private consultative body for promoting the hydrogen industry, is engaged in activities such as establishing institutional foundations for the early implementation of a hydrogen economy, fostering related industries, enhancing international cooperation, and supporting policy formulation and legislation.
Both organizations have pledged to collaborate on establishing infrastructure and sustainable collaborative systems for operating the Clean Hydrogen Certification System, building a database for clean hydrogen certification, and supporting the expansion of exports and market development for domestic hydrogen-related companies.
The Clean Hydrogen Certification System certifies that the greenhouse gas emissions during processes such as hydrogen production or importation are below a certain level and provides incentives accordingly. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held a briefing on the Clean Hydrogen Certification System in April and announced the implementation of the system in 2024.
The global hydrogen production market is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 9.2%, reaching around $201.4 billion in 2025 from $129.6 billion in 2020. In South Korea, the hydrogen production market is expected to grow to a scale of 27.9 million tons by 2050, with a goal of producing 5 million tons domestically. The domestic production proportion of clean hydrogen is estimated to be around 3 million tons.
KTC has identified the hydrogen industry as one of its top 13 strategic sectors and is closely collaborating with relevant agencies to advance this industry. In June, following the signing of a business agreement with Changwon University for research and development, education, and technological exchanges in the hydrogen field, KTC signed an agreement in September with ECM (Ente Certificazione Macchine srl), an international certification body based in Italy, to acquire the first European certification (CE) for hydrogen products and storage in South Korea.
An Seong-il, President of KTC, stated, "Through this agreement, we aim to enhance the competitiveness and export capabilities of domestic companies involved in clean hydrogen production and exports. Furthermore, we are committed to supporting the creation of an ecosystem for our country's companies to lead the international market in the clean hydrogen industry."
