[월간수소경제 박상우 기자] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Science and Technology Promotion Agency announced that they would hold the ‘Hydrogen City Convergence Forum Founding General Meeting’ on February 3rd, in which industry, academia, research institutes, and governments participate together to spread hydrogen cities.
The launch of the Hydrogen City Convergence Forum has been discussed to induce participation in the hydrogen city by the private sector equipped with technology and capital in preparation for the full-scale expansion of the hydrogen city, to share knowledge and information related to the hydrogen city, and to build a network.
On October 13 last year, a briefing session was held to establish a hydrogen city convergence forum through the ‘Hydrogen City Conference’, and 113 institutions and companies, including local governments, companies, research institutes, and academia, decided to participate by recruiting participating organizations.
In particular, it is noteworthy that leading private companies in Korea such as Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hyundai Mobis, Hyundai Rotem, POSCO E&C, Doosan Fuel Cell, KEPCO KPS, KEPCO KDN, Kolon Global, Daewoo E&C, STX Energy Solutions, and Hankook Tire are highly involved.
In addition, local governments in progress or newly promoting hydrogen city projects such as Ulsan, Ansan, Jeonju, Wanju, Samcheok, Pyeongtaek, Namyangju, Dangjin, Boryeong, Gwangyang, and Pohang participate in hydrogen demonstration cities (Ulsan, Jeonju/Wanju, Ansan). We plan to share our know-how with other local governments, and research institutes and public corporations will also participate to gather ideas.
According to the data submitted in advance, at the inaugural general meeting, Professor Yoon Chang-won of Pohang University of Science and Technology, who is in charge of the keynote speech, will make a presentation on the theme of ‘Development Direction of Hydrogen City Leading Carbon Neutrality’ and share the operation plan of the Hydrogen City Convergence Forum.
The Hydrogen City Convergence Forum is composed of the Steering Committee, the Hydrogen City Council, and the Subcommittee, and the Subcommittee operates in four areas: ‘Technology Development’, ‘Industry-University Cooperation’, ‘Reorganization of the Legal System’, and ‘Dissemination of Domestic and Foreign Dissemination’ do.
The Hydrogen City Convergence Forum plans to build a hydrogen city governance in various forms without being bound by the existing framework by forming a network to spread hydrogen cities, such as sharing hydrogen city know-how, proposing ideas related to hydrogen city policies, and sharing overseas trends.
Gil Byeong-woo, director of urban policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, who attended the inaugural general meeting, said, “We hope that many new ideas from the private sector will be proposed through the Hydrogen City Convergence Forum. It is an important time to make efforts to face each other,” he said, emphasizing the network and harmony among the promoting entities.