Bloom Energy installs its first hydrogen-powered SOFC in Korea

Bloom Energy (US-based producer of solid oxide fuel cells) and SK Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. ( an affiliate of SK Group) have deployed 100 kW of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC) powered solely by hydrogen for clean power generation in Ulsan, South Korea. Bloom Energy supplied SOFCs to the pilot project, which is using hydrogen byproduct generated by SK Advanced.

Bloom Energy announced its plan in July 2020 to install a 1 MW hydrogen-powered Energy Server installation with SK E&C by 2022.

KR Sridhar, founder, chairman and CEO of Bloom Energy, said, “It’s now the right market timing to introduce hydrogen-powered solutions and help countries meet their net-zero emissions goals.”

Jason Ahn, CEO of SK E&C, said, “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.”

Among other projects, Bloom Energy will also support South Korea’s Changwon RE100 initiative, which the Climate Group leads to accelerate the move toward zero-carbon electricity grids. Both partners have already won the bid for the initiative where Bloom Energy will supply hydrogen-powered fuel cells and electrolysers to an industrial complex.

Bloom Energy also aims to supply its solid-oxide electrolyser cells (SOEC), which produces green hydrogen by using solar and battery, to South Korea in 2022 as part of the RE100 project. The green hydrogen will be then used to power the hydrogen SOFC.

Bloom Energy has recently announced the opening of a new office in Dubai, UAE. To expand its business internationally, it also made some key appointments, including Australia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa, and Europe.