Up to 8.2 billion won ($5.9m) has been allocated in subsidies to 152 hydrogen refuelling stations in South Korea.
Starting today (May 1), 54 million won ($38,947) on average will be paid out to each station, designed to promote private participation in the hydrogen refuelling industry, support fuel purchase costs and improve operating conditions.
The Korean Ministry of Environment has allocated the funding, whilst the subsidy operator Korea Automobile Environment Association disclosed the businesses that wanted to receive support for fuel purchase costs for hydrogen.
The Association introduced the programme in 2021 to promote the stable operation of hydrogen refuelling stations and advance the economy. The subsidy is paid twice a year to private operators meeting the payment conditions after a comprehensive review of income and expenditure for the six months prior.
Jeong Seon-hwa, Director of Air Quality Policy at the Ministry of Environment, explained, “The government will provide as much support as possible to stabilise the hydrogen vehicle ecosystem, including hydrogen charging stations.
“I hope that support for the fuel purchase costs in the first half of this year will help improve the operating conditions of hydrogen charging stations.”
Under the updated South Korean hydrogen policies and goals, announced in 2022, it laid out plans to produce 30,000 hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles by 2030, along with 70 liquid hydrogen fuelling stations to ensure the fuel meets 7.1% of the nation’s energy mix by 2036.
Read more:South Korea announces new hydrogen policies and goals
Last June (2023), the South Korean National Fire Agency made it legal to install hydrogen fuel cells at gas stations.
Previously, gas station operators were prohibited from installing fuel cells due to concerns over potential casualties if an accident happened.
Read more:South Korea permit the installation of hydrogen fuel cells at gas stations
