[월간수소경제 이종수 기자] Hydrogen Energy Network (CEO Jong-soo Yoo) announced on the 31st that it will officially open a total of four hydrogen charging stations, including Incheon Airport T1 hydrogen charging station, in January 2021.
Hydrogen Energy Network (hereinafter referred to as Hinet) will first open the Incheon Airport T1 hydrogen charging station on January 4. Recently, the construction of the Shintanjin Service Area, Chuncheon Service Area, and the hydrogen charging station in Pyeongtaek Paengseong Expressway have been completed, and it will be officially opened in January after a pilot operation.
When 4 charging stations are opened this time, Hinet will operate a total of 10 charging stations along with 6 charging stations including the National Assembly and the Government Complex Sejong.
In particular, the opening of a hydrogen charging station at Incheon International Airport (T1) will enable the operation of a hydrogen shuttle bus, an eco-friendly transportation means, and will help spread the image of a leading eco-friendly country to foreigners visiting Korea from abroad.
The hydrogen shuttle bus will be charged at Incheon Airport’s T1 hydrogen charging station, and will consist of routes that pass through Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2), long-term parking lot and distribution complex, and cargo terminal station. The hydrogen charging station’s operating hours are open year-round, and are open for 14 hours from 8 am to 10 pm every day.
Hinet is planning to build an additional T2 hydrogen charging station at Incheon Airport in the first half of next year. The T2 hydrogen charging station is a bus-only hydrogen charging station, and it is expected to supply an average of 1,000 kg of hydrogen per day to charge 40 hydrogen electric buses.
Incheon Airport Corporation plans to quickly transform into an eco-friendly airport by introducing hydrogen shuttle buses and commercial hydrogen electric vehicles along with the successive opening of hydrogen charging stations.
In addition, the Hinet Pyeongtaek Paengseong hydrogen charging station, which is scheduled to open in Pyeongtaek Paengseong, was built on the site of SK Energy’s gas station and LPG charging station. The complex hydrogen charging station operated by SK Energy is expected to greatly improve the charging convenience of hydrogen electric vehicle customers near Pyeongtaek.
Operating hours are 6 days a week (closed from Monday to Saturday and Sunday), and it is open 12 hours a day from 8 am to 8 pm.
Hinet plans to open hydrogen charging stations at Shintanjin Service Area (toward Seoul) and Chuncheon Service Area (toward Busan) to improve the convenience of long-distance driving for hydrogen car customers as well as support charging for nearby hydrogen car customers. In particular, the Chuncheon Service Area is expected to relieve some of the grievances of local drivers who are experiencing great inconvenience due to the lack of hydrogen charging stations in Gangwon-do.
The hydrogen charging station built and operated by Hinet can charge an average of 60 vehicles per day for passenger cars. Five units can be charged per hour based on Nexo, and the selling price of hydrogen is 8,800 won/kg.
An official of Hinet said, “For the stable operation of hydrogen charging stations built nationwide, we are making every effort to ensure safety by conducting regular inspections for each charging station as well as training for charging stations.”