Norwegian hydrogen firm Nel has partnered with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) to explore combining its alkaline electrolysis with nuclear power.
Nel announced on LinkedIn that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the South Korean power utility to collaborate on clean hydrogen production technology.
Since 2022, KHNP has been researching pink hydrogen – electrolytic production powered by nuclear electricity – and is currently carrying out a demonstration project.
Details on the deal remain slim. However, with the pair intending to “expand into global clean hydrogen markets,” it could be a move from Nel to secure the future for its alkaline systems.
Earlier this month the company announced it would halt production of its alkaline electrolysers at its flagship 1GW plant in Herøya, following declining sales. Nel still hopes to launch a new pressurised alkaline platform soon.
Read more:Nel pauses alkaline electrolyser production in Herøya, announces layoffs
Alkaline electrolysers in particular face significant barriers to using renewable energy due to its intermittency. With slower response times to PEM systems, fluctuating power inputs make it challenging to match energy supply efficiently.
However, nuclear poses a potential pathway to produce zero-carbon hydrogen with the cheaper, more mature form of electrolysis technology.
Thanks to its baseload nature, proponents say nuclear could power large-scale hydrogen production. However, concerns about the safety and cost of nuclear continue to dog the discussion.
Last December, Nel secured a repeat order from Samsung C&T Corporation and Engineering Construction Group for a 10MW alkaline system to validate pink hydrogen production in South Korea.
Read more:Nel secures repeat electrolyser order from Samsung for pink hydrogen project
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