The first-of-its-kind demonstration for South Korea, which will commence in late 2025, includes 1.8 megawatts (MW) of Bloom’s Solid Oxide Electrolyzer (SOEC) technology to develop green hydrogen at scale for use as transport fuel on Jeju Island, South Korea. Jeju Island is known as a leading market for renewable energy projects.
Bloom’s solid oxide electrolyzer is built on the same platform as its Energy Server. The electrolyte is a solid ceramic material and the anode and cathode are made from special inks that coat the electrolyte and facilitate an electrochemical pathway to produce hydrogen from renewable electricity.
High operating temperatures of solid oxide cells provide a greater overall efficiency than alternative technologies, thus requiring far less electricity to facilitate the reaction.
SK and Bloom have a strategic relationship on a number of projects in South Korea. For this project, SK and Bloom will combine the Bloom Electrolyzer with SK’s engineered infrastructure to produce hydrogen ready to be used as transport fuel.
The results of this demonstration project will be crucial for SK to advance in the electrolysis market and pursue green hydrogen development projects domestically and internationally using Bloom’s Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC). This participation exemplifies a strategic collaboration between SK and Bloom, expanding the scope of cooperation from power generation (fuel cell) to global green hydrogen development projects, further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two companies.
—Kyung-il Park, CEO of SK ecoplant
The demonstration includes a consortium of companies and technologies. The Bloom Electrolyzer was chosen for its industry-leading high electrical efficiency, enabling KOSPO and the collaborators to achieve the highest efficiency results.
Jeju Island’s “Carbon Free Island 2030” project aims to fully convert all vehicles and electricity generation to renewables by 2030. Hydrogen generated from this project will be used to advance that goal, demonstrating an alternative way to provide renewable and sustainable energy by helping supply green hydrogen to hydrogen refueling stations to power public vehicles.
Using geographic characteristics of Jeju, known for its wind power and abundant natural resources, the consortium is undertaking to build and operate the nation’s largest 12.5MW-scale hydrogen production facilities, including other electrolyzer technologies. The consortium aims to produce green hydrogen, secure economic viability in distribution, and establish a foundation for commercialization.
Launched in 2018, the strategic partnership between Bloom Energy and SK ecoplant has strengthened their respective market leadership positions in power generation and the global hydrogen economy. SK ecoplant will be a preferred distributor globally for Bloom Energy solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and SOEC in markets where SK ecoplant has a significant presence and competitive advantage. Bloom Energy and SK ecoplant have deployed 400 MW since the beginning of the partnership.
