KOWEPO, Hanwha collaborate for eco-friendly, carbon-free power

[Courtesy of KOWEPO]

Korea Western Power Co. (KOWEPO) will collaborate with Hanwha Power Systems Co. to develop eco-friendly, carbon-free power generation technology, according to the South Korean public power company on Friday.

KOWEPO signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hanwha Power Systems on Thursday for eco-friendly, carbon-free power generation business at Hanwha Aerospace R&D Center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

Both companies plan for the partnership to quickly tap carbon-free power generation projects such as ammonia-powered gas turbines.

To achieve the government’s carbon neutrality goal, KOWEPO has been actively promoting projects to develop carbon-free power generation technologies, including projects related to hydrogen production from coal gasification combined cycle power generation, coal-ammonia co-fired power generation, and hydrogen co-fired power generation.

In April 2023, the company became the first in Korea to successfully demonstrate the conversion of an 80-megawatt (MW) old gas turbine at its Pyeongtaek power station in Gyeonggi Province into a hydrogen gas turbine, raising the hydrogen mixing ratio to 60 percent.

KOWEPO is also planning to apply the technology to a 150 MW gas turbine at its Seoincheon power station.

“Our technology collaboration with Hanwha Power Systems is expected to expand the domestic carbon-free power generation ecosystem and lead to the achievement of the government’s carbon neutrality goal,” a KOWEPO official said.