HD Hydrogen builds mass production system for Korean-made SOFC units

HD Hydrogen, HD Hyundai's fuel cell and water electrolysis subsidiary, has completed a mass production system for Korean-made solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and is moving to capture market share.

The company said Friday it recently completed pre-use inspections by the Korea Electrical Safety Corporation (KESCO) covering its SOFC power generation units — the HD250 and HD300 — and its manufacturing facility, establishing a full production and supply framework.

The HD250 and HD300 are small-to-midsize SOFC units rated at 249 kilowatts and 285 kilowatts, respectively. Through the inspections, HD Hydrogen confirmed the electrical safety and compliance of both products and the manufacturing facility, laying the groundwork for stable production and supply.

Founded in August 2024, HD Hydrogen completed development of high-efficiency SOFC power generation units and built out its production line within two years of its establishment. SOFC is regarded as a next-generation power generation technology capable of achieving high generation efficiency among hydrogen fuel cells. The units can run on a range of fuels, including natural gas and hydrogen, and can also harness heat generated during the power generation process.

The HD250 and HD300 entering mass production incorporate water-free operation technology, allowing the units to run without an external water supply. This improves installation convenience and operational efficiency, and the units are designed to handle a wide range of installation environments and operating conditions.

HD Hydrogen plans to enter the domestic small-scale eco-friendly power generation market first, then expand into self-consumption power markets for energy-intensive facilities such as data centers. Alongside this, the company intends to broaden its business scope by stepping up development of high-output, high-durability SOFC products for marine vessels. Last year, HD Hydrogen signed MOUs with fellow HD Hyundai affiliates HD Korea Shipbuilding and HD Hyundai Heavy, as well as HMM and Korean Register (KR), to advance the commercialization of marine SOFC systems.

"Behind our ability to complete product development and establish a mass production system in such a short time since our founding lies the manufacturing capabilities HD Hyundai has built up over the years," said Nam Young-jun, CEO of HD Hydrogen. "We will use this mass production milestone as a springboard to actively expand our SOFC business not only in the land-based power generation market but also in the marine market going forward."