The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Samsung E&A announced on the 25th that they held a launch ceremony for the 60kW high-temperature electrolysis hot box at KIST headquarters in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the 24th.
This demonstration project tests a 160kW high-temperature electrolysis device and is the first high-temperature electrolysis demonstration project conducted domestically since the enactment of the hydrogen law in 2020. High-temperature electrolysis is a technology that decomposes water using electricity at temperatures above 700 degrees Celsius to produce hydrogen and oxygen. It is evaluated as an eco-friendly hydrogen production technology due to its low carbon dioxide emissions compared to existing technologies and its high energy efficiency.
In particular, the hot box used for this demonstration contains a reaction device module that houses key components of the high-temperature electrolysis system and will be used to verify stability and efficiency.
KIST and Samsung E&A began their collaboration through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in February last year, and in July of the same year, they launched a joint research institute for electrolysis technology development. Since then, they have intensified technology development through performance evaluation and demonstration facility construction for the high-temperature electrolysis stack, a key device for hydrogen production. Notably, in December of last year, they obtained final approval for regulatory exemptions (regulatory sandbox) for the technology, establishing a foundation to verify its practical applicability.
The current demonstration facility is designed for preliminary evaluation purposes for establishing industrial-scale electrolysis facilities. In the future, based on the characteristics of high-temperature electrolysis technology that operates at high temperatures, the safety and efficiency of the system will be verified. KIST plans to successfully lead this project by leveraging the research capabilities accumulated in the high-temperature electrolysis field, while Samsung E&A brings its technical expertise and practical experience gained from various projects.
O Sang-rok, president of KIST, noted, “Starting with this achievement, we hope to lead key technological innovations for building a future hydrogen society based on a long-term partnership between the two institutions and to together drive the transition to a sustainable energy paradigm.”