SK to develop fuel cells with Danish company

SK Group will cooperate with a Danish cell maker in developing a next generation fuel cell.

Korea’s third-largest conglomerate said it will co-develop and commercialize solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) with Topsoe Fuel Cell, based in Nymoellevej, Denmark, at a signing ceremony held at the group’s T-Tower in central Seoul yesterday.

Danish Prince Frederik Christian and Director General Karsten Dybvad of the Confederation of Danish Industry attended the ceremony.

Fuel cells generate electricity by creating chemical reactions with liquefied natural gas, diesel and bio gas. SOFCs can be used in homes, commercial buildings and factories.

A combination of the two companies’ technologies will enable commercialization of SOFCs for homes from 2015.

SK Innovation, the group’s energy business, will lead development of medium and large fuel cells with Topsoe, meanwhile SK E&S, a city gas provider and clean energy producer, will develop smaller ones for homes.

The group also has a plan to link the SOFC project with its photovoltaic cell, energy storage system and smart grid businesses in order to expand its power generation business based on renewable energies.

“This contract has set a milestone for the fuel cell industry,” said Jung Man-won, executive vice chairman of the group.

“Utilizing SK’s strengths in the energy business and Topsoe’s outstanding manufacturing technology, we will produce the world’s best fuel cells for buildings.”

SK and the Danish company had signed an MOU May of last year. Korean President Lee Myung-bak and then Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen attended the ceremony to demonstrate the two governments’ collaboration in green growth businesses.

By Song Su-hyun [ssh@joongang.co.kr]