Malfunction at Plant Causes Hydrogen Shortage for FCEV’s Across Korea

As more FCEV’s hit the road in Korea, more hydrogen production facilities will have to be built that will hopefully reduce the vulnerability from one plant having a maintenance issue:

The recent shortage of hydrogen for vehicles in Korea has prompted a controversy about the country’s readiness to popularize hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), cars that run on electricity genreated by using oxygen from the air and compressed hydrogen, according to industry officials, Sunday.

Since a malfunction last week at hydrogen production facilities at Hyundai Steel’s Dangjin factory in South Chungcheong Province, charging stations in interior parts of Korea have faced difficulties securing hydrogen. As a result, FCEV drivers have had to line up for several hours to fuel their cars.

Earlier this month, passenger cars and buses using hydrogen had engine troubles after fueling from a charging station in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, because of impurities in the station’s hydrogen supply. In August last year, an oil price hike reduced hydrogen production, forcing a maximum on hydrogen purchases of 1 kilogram per driver at each station.

The series of problems caused skepticism about switching from diesel-powered buses and trucks to hydrogen-powered vehicles, as well as over Hyundai Motor’s plan to launch the next version of the NEXO, its hydrogen passenger car.

“The government’s rapidly changing roadmap for the hydrogen economy has caused confusion, delaying the private sector’s investments,” Korea Energy Economics Institute research fellow Kim Jae-kyung said in a recent forum.

Korea Times

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