South Korea has launched its largest hydrogen refuelling station for commercial vehicles in Ulsan, as part of its broader efforts to support the adoption of eco-friendly transportation. The Ulsan Myeongchon Hydrogen Refuelling Station officially began full-scale operations on Monday, becoming the 17th such facility in the city.
The station, located within the Myeongchon public transportation depot along National Highway 7, is designed to cater to high-demand commercial operations. It can refuel up to three hydrogen buses simultaneously at a pressure of 95 MPa, dispensing up to 300 kilograms of hydrogen per hour. Operating 24 hours a day, it has the capacity to serve up to 1,440 hydrogen cars or 360 large trucks and buses daily, according to city officials.
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“With the completion and operation of the largest hydrogen charging station in Ulsan Myeongchon in Korea, it is expected that the transition to eco-friendly hydrogen mobility such as large trucks and commuter buses based on diesel fuel, which emit a large amount of air pollutants, will be accelerated,” a city official said.
Constructed by Kohygen, a company specializing in large-scale hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, the project was completed in early December 2024 after beginning in March 2023. Unlike earlier government-backed refuelling stations, the new facility was funded through a public-private partnership. Of the 8 billion won (approximately 5 million euros) invested, 4.2 billion won was provided by South Korea’s Ministry of Environment, while private investors contributed the remaining 3.8 billion won.
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Kyungdong City Gas, traditionally an LNG supplier now expanding into hydrogen, will operate the station. It sources hydrogen more sustainably than most facilities, using a 10.5-kilometre underground pipeline instead of conventional tube trailers. This pipeline extends from Yeocheon Intersection in Nam-gu to the Hyundai Motor Hyomun Intersection.
The Ulsan Myeongchon station is the fifth in the city to utilize hydrogen pipelines, following facilities operated by Together Station, Air Products, Sanggae SK, and Taehwagang Station. Ulsan, a key industrial and transport hub, is positioning itself as a leader in hydrogen mobility as South Korea targets carbon neutrality by 2050.