South Korea to ease regulations, enable new hydrogen charging stations

Seoul, Dec 18 (IANS) South Korea's industry ministry said on Wednesday the country plans to implement eased regulations for hydrogen charging stations next year in line with efforts to support the sector's ecosystem.

The set of new rules is reflected in the revised high-pressure gas safety control act, which will be implemented in May, focusing on lowering barriers for building new hydrogen charging stations, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Under the updated guideline, the required safety distance between charging stations and their surrounding facilities, currently set at 12 to 30 meters, may be reduced if the stations are equipped with proper protection walls and other safety measures, reports Yonhap news agency.

The stations will also be allowed to host not only automobiles but other types of hydrogen fuel cell transportation, including forklifts, excavators and trams.

"Following the launch of new hydrogen automobiles, public interest in the hydrogen mobility ecosystem is growing," said Park Chan-ki, the ministry official in charge of hydrogen economy policy. "The government will continue revamping regulations to support the growth of the hydrogen industry."

Meanwhile, an organisation tasked with promoting South Korea's Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) initiative hosted a seminar on Wednesday to discuss ways of achieving carbon neutrality through a diversified portfolio of carbon-free sources, including nuclear power.

The event, hosted by the Carbon Free Alliance, came amid the government's efforts to promote the initiative as a campaign to effectively address the soaring energy demand from the artificial intelligence sector, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The CFE initiative, a global initiative proposed by Seoul last year, focuses on achieving carbon neutrality by utilising a wide array of carbon-free energy sources, including nuclear and hydrogen power.