[Courtesy of Hyundai Heavy Industries]
SEOUL -- A U.S. classification society joined hands with South Korea's Hyundai shipbuilding group to establish guidelines for the design of offshore green hydrogen plants. Green hydrogen is produced from water using renewable power. Hyundai Heavy Industries will develop an electrolysis plant that produces green hydrogen from seawater using electricity generated by floating wind turbines.
The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) will enact regulations such as risk assessment, material selection, and maintenance measures, while the shipbuilding group is in charge of carrying out the concept and basic design of offshore green hydrogen plants.
The design of offshore green hydrogen plants requires guidelines on electrolysis processes, the definitions of related utilities, and safety regulations. The shipbuilding group would seek to obtain approval for the basic certification of guidelines in the first half of next year.
Companies affiliated with the shipbuilding group signed a memorandum of understanding in May 2021 with those involved in the construction of a floating wind farm complex that will be built off the southeastern port city of Ulsan. They will demonstrate a 100-megawatt pilot plant by 2025 and a 1.2-gigawatt plant by 2030.
The shipbuilding group has unveiled a new business roadmap to establish a hydrogen value chain by 2030 by combining the infrastructure and technology competitiveness of affiliates. The group will accelerate the development of hydrogen transport ships and create vessels with hydrogen fuel propulsion.