University to develop high-efficiency unitized regenerative fuel cell combining water electrolysis and fuel cell technology
Chonnam National University will hold a kickoff meeting at its Storium on June 17 to mark the launch of the "High-Efficiency Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell Technology Development" project, backed by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
The event will bring together principal investigators and research teams from the project consortium and participating institutions to share research and development goals, outline implementation strategies, and discuss each organization's role and cooperative framework.
The project aims to develop a Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell (URFC) that integrates water electrolysis and fuel cell functions into a single system. The technology can store electricity generated from renewable energy as hydrogen and convert it back to power when needed, drawing attention as a key technology for the future hydrogen economy and long-duration energy storage systems.
As the lead institution, Chonnam National University plans to work with Yonsei University, Seoul National University, UNIST, KETI and ISTE over the next five years to develop core high-efficiency, high-durability URFC technologies, demonstrate the system and pursue commercialization.
The project is expected to lead development of next-generation hydrogen energy systems, with a particular focus on anion exchange membrane (AEM)-based URFC technology, and to strengthen South Korea's competitiveness in the hydrogen industry.
By developing core URFC technologies capable of both hydrogen production and power generation, the project is expected to contribute significantly to building a domestic hydrogen industry ecosystem and securing future energy transition technologies.
"This kickoff meeting is an important starting point for establishing a cooperative framework among participating institutions and aligning our research and development direction," said Jeong Ho-young, the project director and a professor at Chonnam National University. "We will do our utmost to contribute to achieving carbon neutrality and revitalizing the national hydrogen economy through the development of next-generation hydrogen energy technologies."
sij@heraldcorp.com
