Green hydrogen
Green Hydrogen
Green Hydrogen Production and Utilization
Korea Zinc has established a business model related to the hydrogen business in Australia. The plan is to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis using renewable energy generated from solar and wind power. Some of this hydrogen will be used locally in Australia, while some will be combined with ammonia for export.
Green Hydrogen Production
Eco-friendly electricity obtained from solar and wind power generation is utilized for green hydrogen production through the electrolysis method. The electrolysis method is a technology that electrolyzes pure water without electrolytes and moves cations through a separation membrane. It has advantages of high hydrogen productivity, easy response to power generation variability, and efficient land use. Starting with the introduction of a 1MW electrolyzer in 2025, Korea Zinc is taking the lead in transitioning to a hydrogen economy by expanding to 3,500MW electrolyzers by 2050.
SunHQ Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project
Korea Zinc's renewable energy business is already underway.
Ark Energy is not only producing and developing renewable energy but also focusing on supplying renewable energy to help other companies decarbonize.
As a start, Ark Energy has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
with Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company. From 2025, once the MacIntyre Wind Farm is completed,
Ark Energy will supply clean electricity equivalent to the annual electricity usage of 80,000 Australian households for 10 years.
Ark Energy plans to continuously expand its green energy business through PPAs with companies that need renewable electricity, including power supply to the SMC refinery and hydrogen production.
Green Ammonia Synthesis and Extraction
Green Ammonia Synthesis and Export
Korea Zinc, has launched the Korea-Australia Hydrogen (KAH2) Consortium to bring green hydrogen/ammonia from Australia to Korea. The consortium aims to establish a supply chain to export over 1 million tons of green ammonia annually from Australia to Korea by 2030. To achieve this, Korea Zinc is developing the Collinsville Green Energy Hub in Queensland's renewable energy zone. This hub covers an area of 180,000 hectares and will have a maximum power generation capacity of 3,000 MW.
Green Ammonia Synthesis
Hydrogen has low storage capacity per volume, making conversion to other compounds essential for transportation. Among these, ammonia is gaining attention from major companies as the most efficient means of hydrogen energy transport. Korea Zinc plans to produce green ammonia by synthesizing green hydrogen, which is produced using renewable energy and has no carbon emissions, with nitrogen, and ultimately aims to establish the world's most competitive clean ammonia supply chain.
Green Ammonia Export (Transportation)
Green hydrogen/ammonia synthesized through eco-friendly methods will be transported to Korea and worldwide through Korea Zinc's subsidiaries TL and TML, which are responsible for operating hydrogen trucks and maritime transport equipment.
- • Established in 2016 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- • Responsible for SMC land transportation
- • Established in 2018 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- • Responsible for SMC maritime transportation
Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia
Green Hydrogen / Ammonia
Korea Zinc is taking the lead in developing domestic green hydrogen infrastructure by pursuing the development of tank terminals for ammonia imports from Australia, ammonia cracking (hydrogen conversion) facilities, hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen/full-combustion turbine power generation, and carbon capture facilities.
- Ammonia tank terminal
- Ammonia cracking facilities
- Hydrogen purification/supply facilities
- Hydrogen co-firing/full-combustion turbine power plant
Green Ammonia Decomposition
Green ammonia is converted back into high-purity hydrogen through cracking technology. Korea Zinc plans to continue development and facility investments to accelerate the commercialization of hydrogen-ammonia fuel power generation.
Production of Grade 1 Clean Hydrogen
The green hydrogen produced with Korea Zinc's technology is expected to be classified as Grade 1 in the government's Clean Hydrogen Certification System (draft). It will be supplied to domestic Onsan Smelter, hydrogen refueling stations, and LNG power plants, becoming a key clean energy source for building hydrogen mobility and a green hydrogen society.
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Grade(kgCO2・eq/kg・H2)Major Technologies by Grade
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Grade 1(0.0~0.1kgCO2/kgH2)Domestic and overseas green hydrogen (100% renewable energy used in hydrogen production)
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Grade 2(0.1~1.0kgCO2/kgH2)Domestic and overseas nuclear hydrogen, and some overseas green hydrogen connected to grid power (Partial power mix connection for system stabilization)
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Grade 3(1.0~2.0kgCO2/kgH2)Blue hydrogen reflecting additional reduction activities besides CCS with over 90% capture (Reduction at raw material production stage, low-carbon power transfer)
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Grade 4(2.0~4.0kgCO2/kgH2)Blue hydrogen with over 90% capture (Average gas field + grid power utilization)
Domestic Utilization of Green Hydrogen
Domestic Use of Green Hydrogen
Korea Zinc was chosen for the Korean government's hydrogen forklift support project and is running a forklift pilot program at the Onsan Smelter. This is the first of its kind within a domestic industrial complex and aims to promote hydrogen mobility for heavy equipment. In the long term, the company plans to achieve RE100, including green metal production, by importing green hydrogen from Australia.
Short-term
- Installation of hydrogen refueling stations
- Introduction of hydrogen forklifts
Medium-term
- Operation of hydrogen buses, trucks, and large commercial equipment
- Use of hydrogen-LNG co-firing
- Hydrogen fuel cell power generation
Long-term
- Direct import of green hydrogen from Australia
- Expansion of green mobility transition
- Green metal production
Korea Zinc Onsan Smelter
Currently, Korea Zinc is currently the global leader market share for non-ferrous metals such as zinc and lead. Its Onsan plant, the cornerstone of its competitiveness, is recognized as the world's largest smelter in terms of size and production capacity for a single facility.
As a result, the company has achieved operating profits exceeding KRW 1 trillion, once again solidifying its position as a world-leading enterprise.
Now, Korea Zinc plans to further advance its smelting business to create high added value based while also exploring structural transformation and expansion into sustainable future businesses.
The company will utilize its current renewable energy generation capacity, and through continuous investment and technological development pursue its long-term vision of 'Green Metal production using green hydrogen'.
Green Metal
Korea Zinc develops a product-specific carbon footprint calculation and management system to produce internationally recognized green metal, leading global standards towards achieving carbon neutrality.
Low Carbon Metal
Products with reduced carbon emissions compared to the past, the average of smelting companies, and competitors' products, achieved through process improvements, innovation, and increased use of renewable energy.
Carbon Free Metal
Products that achieve zero carbon emissions in the production process by using 100% renewable energy instead of fossil fuel-based energy.
Hydrogen Turbine Generator
Power generation using supplied hydrogen
Roasting Process
Carbon emission reduction using zinc oxide
Leaching Process
Carbon emission reduction using hydrogen reduction technique
Purification Process
Zero carbon emission process for filtering precipitates
Electrolysis Process
Zinc extraction using hydrogen power
Casting Process
Operating electric furnace with hydrogen power
Green Metal Production
Zinc
Lead
Gold
Silver
Indium
Copper
Future Hydrogen Society
South Korea has established the fastest legal foundation for activating the hydrogen economy by enacting and implementing the world's first "Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act (Hydrogen Act)".
To strengthen the international community's response to the climate crisis, South Korea has announced the 2030 NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) upward revision and the 2050 carbon neutrality scenario.
The country is focusing on energy policies related to hydrogen energy and accelerating the construction of clean hydrogen-based infrastructure.
Leading this trend, Korea Zinc is concentrating on the quantitative and qualitative expansion of the full-scale hydrogen economy, including overseas hydrogen import, securing hydrogen supply chains, and expanding hydrogen co-firing power generation.
