GS Engineering and Construction announced on the 21st that it will venture into an eco-friendly energy project that produces electricity without carbon emissions using clean ammonia as fuel.
On the same day, GS Engineering and Construction, along with Pohang City, HD Hyundai, and AMOGY, signed a memorandum of understanding to promote distributed energy in Pohang City at the Pohang City Hall.
The signing ceremony was attended by Pohang Deputy Mayor Jang Sang-gil, GS Engineering and Construction New Business Promotion Division Head Lee Jeong-hwan, HD Hyundai Infracore Engine Sales Division Head Lim Hyeong-taek, and AMOGY CEO Woo Seong-hun.
Through this agreement, GS Engineering and Construction and Pohang City plan to create a specialized area for distributed energy within the Pohang Yeongilman Industrial Complex and carry out a demonstration project for a power plant that generates electricity without carbon emissions by injecting clean ammonia as fuel. Afterwards, they plan to operate a commercial plant targeting corporations that require greenhouse gas reduction within the industrial complex.
Earlier, GS Engineering and Construction entered into a strategic technology agreement with HD Hyundai Infracore and AMOGY in January to develop a hydrogen engine generator based on clean hydrogen compounds (ammonia). The U.S. startup AMOGY, a project partner, possesses world-class technology for extracting hydrogen from ammonia. HD Hyundai Infracore is a leading domestic company that produces electric engines fueled by hydrogen.
GS Engineering and Construction plans to install a power generation module the size of a 40-foot (ft) container at the Pohang Yeongilman Industrial Complex, combining the technologies developed with AMOGY and HD Infracore, and will conduct actual power generation and supply demonstrations.
The generator module injects ammonia as a liquid fuel into the device using AMOGY's technology, converting it into hydrogen. The converted hydrogen will produce electricity through HD Hyundai Infracore's hydrogen engine.
A representative from GS Engineering and Construction noted, “The method of generating energy using liquefied hydrogen has drawbacks, such as high transportation costs and the need for large facilities to separate liquefied hydrogen into hydrogen,” adding, “Using ammonia will allow for energy generation without complex facilities, making it economically viable in terms of both cost and space even in narrow sites.”
GS Engineering and Construction has been preparing for this project as part of its future eco-friendly energy initiatives. This is in response to the national greenhouse gas reduction target (NDC) of reducing greenhouse gases by 40% by 2030. With increasing corporate burdens from carbon credits and carbon border taxes, the demand for carbon-free electricity is expected to rise significantly.
GS Engineering and Construction plans to expand the clean energy business in earnest once project viability is secured, starting operational demonstrations in 2027.