The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 30th that it will invest 150.1 billion won in climate environment research and development (R&D) projects such as green hydrogen production technology. This is an increase of 12.9% from this year. An official from the Ministry of Science and ICT said, “The importance of science and technology innovation is being emphasized more than ever as an essential element for moving toward a carbon-neutral society.” I will apply for it.”
○ Expansion of hydrogen-related R&D
This year’s climate environment R&D focuses on hydrogen technology development. It first established the’future hydrogen source technology development’ project and allocated 3.3 billion won. It develops new materials and systems related to three technologies (photolysis, pyrolysis, and high-temperature water electrolysis) to produce hydrogen by decomposing water. Hydrogen (green hydrogen) is a technology that produces hydrogen by decomposing water with electricity made from renewable energy. Unlike reformed hydrogen produced by using methane, it does not generate greenhouse gases, but its efficiency is low and the key is to raise it.
The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to invest 25.3 billion won in 43 projects for future hydrogen source technology development projects for six years from next year. Specifically, the development of renewable energy-linked thermochemical hydrogen production source technology and photocatalytic new material development for solar-based hydrogen production were specified.
In the storage field, the development of’solid adsorption hydrogen storage source technology’ is promoted. The goal is to create a new porous material that is easy to absorb and desorb hydrogen.
In the hydrogen energy innovation technology development project, it will invest 14.1 billion won, an increase of 19.8% from this year. It included the development of a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), a source technology for storing and transporting hydrogen. It plans to invest a total of 48.6 billion won by 2023. Free competition type R&D suggested by researchers is also accepted. For example, it can be proposed to develop innovative technologies that have not yet been realized, such as’production of green hydrogen using unused biomass’.
○ Convert’C1 gas’ into a useful substance
It allocated 9.7 billion won, a 25% increase from this year, to the’Next Generation Carbon Resource Conversion’ project that produces useful chemical substances such as olefins and ethylene by using gases (industrial by-products gas) generated from industrial sites such as carbon dioxide. The budget for the C1 (carbon monoxide, methane, etc.) gas refinery project was also increased by 18% to 21 billion won from this year (17.8 billion won). The goal is to develop a bio-chemical catalyst that converts C1 gas most efficiently.
The budget for the’Carbon to X’project, which captures carbon dioxide emitted to the atmosphere and converts it into useful substances, has been organized to KRW 11.5 billion, which is 2.8 times higher than this year (4 billion). It plans to develop formic acid, which is used as a raw material for chemical products such as preservatives, and technology for producing high-functional eco-friendly polymer materials.
Currently, it supports 11.4 billion won for the’Fuel Cell Core Element Technology Development’ project that expands the use of hydrogen fuel cells limited to automobiles to cogeneration and backup power.
The task of developing technology to reduce fine dust, which is now a daily routine, was also included. We will provide 7.5 billion won for the’Development of Ultrafine Dust Response Technology in Northeast Asia Regions’, which examines the process of generating fine dust and its physical and chemical characteristics. It is based on the data taken and sent by the geostationary orbit complex satellite (Cheonrian) 2B, the latest satellite for fine dust observation. Researchers from four countries including Ewha Womans University, Peking University in China, Kanazawa University in Japan, and National University of Mongolia will participate.
Reporter Lee Hae-seong [email protected]