AI and dynamic simulation to address renewable energy fluctuations and improve plant reliability
Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) is moving to secure design capabilities for large-scale water electrolysis plants as it prepares for growing demand for green hydrogen infrastructure.
The company said on September 18 that it will lead a government-backed research project to develop design technology for water electrolysis plants with a capacity of 100MW or more.
Water electrolysis produces hydrogen by splitting water using electricity. When powered by renewable sources such as solar and wind, the process can produce green hydrogen with significantly reduced carbon emissions.
As water electrolysis projects increase in scale, the industry is moving beyond the performance of individual electrolyzers toward integrated plant design, standardization and system optimization. Managing fluctuations in renewable power supply is also becoming increasingly important for maintaining stable hydrogen production.
Consortium brings together Hyundai Motor, Hanwha and Korea Midland Power
The project aims to establish a comprehensive design package for large-scale hydrogen production facilities, covering core processes, system engineering and plant operation. The technology will ultimately be developed to a level suitable for demonstration and commercialization.
Hyundai E&C will lead a consortium that includes Hyundai Engineering, Hyundai Motor Company, Hanwha Global, Korea Midland Power, the Future Standards Research Institute, Seoul National University and Korea University.
Hyundai E&C will be responsible for developing the basic engineering package and conducting economic feasibility assessments.
The company plans to incorporate artificial intelligence and dynamic simulation models into the project. The approach is intended to help water electrolysis plants respond to fluctuations in electricity output from renewable energy sources while improving operational stability and reliability.
Unlike conventional power sources, solar and wind generation can vary considerably depending on weather conditions. For large-scale green hydrogen production, the ability to optimize plant operations in response to those changes can directly affect both productivity and project economics.
Scaling up from 5MW experience to 100MW-plus plants
Hyundai E&C has been building experience in the hydrogen sector through projects including a hydrogen production base in Buan, North Jeolla Province. It has also been developing a 5MW-class plant-type proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis system in Jeju.
The latest project marks a significant increase in scale, extending the company's experience toward the engineering of facilities with capacities exceeding 100MW.
As electrolysis plants grow larger, competitiveness is increasingly determined not only by the electrolyzer itself but also by the ability to integrate electricity supply, water treatment, hydrogen purification and compression, storage and transportation systems.
This creates an opportunity for engineering and construction companies to combine their experience in large-scale plant engineering, procurement and construction with emerging hydrogen technologies.
“The results of this R&D project will become a key asset in strengthening our competitiveness in future domestic and overseas water electrolysis projects,” a Hyundai E&C official said.
The company added that it plans to bring together Hyundai Motor Group's capabilities across hydrogen production, storage, transportation and utilization to build a Korean green hydrogen platform and strengthen its position in next-generation water electrolysis projects.
Expanding beyond construction into future energy infrastructure
The research will be carried out through the HMG Construction Technology Research Center, an integrated R&D organization of Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Engineering.
The center is focusing its research on four areas — energy, future housing, smart construction and infrastructure. Its future energy portfolio includes hydrogen as well as small modular reactors (SMRs), sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), offshore wind and biogas.
Hyundai E&C's move into large-scale water electrolysis technology reflects a broader effort to extend its capabilities from traditional construction and plant engineering into energy infrastructure.
Securing engineering and operational optimization technology for 100MW-plus water electrolysis plants could provide the company with a foundation to participate more broadly in future green hydrogen projects, from early-stage project development and engineering to EPC and potentially plant operations.
