The construction industry these days is making strides to become more resource-efficient and eco-friendly. Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group is playing a leading role in the industry in its adoption of eco-friendly practices. The E&C Group is particularly increasing its efforts in the production and development of technology related to hydrogen and ammonia, both forms of clean energy.
Working together on clean energy projects
Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group has recently made an agreement with five other companies to jointly promote clean energy projects related to hydrogen and ammonia, which are in the spotlight as next-generation energy sources.
The six companies agreed to work together in building infrastructure and the supply chain that will bring clean fuels that have been produced overseas to be stored onshore in Korea. Additionally, the consortium has plans to expand the scope of cooperation through all of their value chains.
As a part of this priority project, the consortium plans to construct a large-scale clean energy hub terminal in the east of Korea where clean energy sources imported from overseas can be stored before supplying them to power plants or hydrogen charging stations.
The collaboration of these six firms in the clean energy field is expected to support Korea’s vision and concrete goal to become carbon neutral by 2050 and to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating the new hydrogen economy.
Samsung C&T is expanding cooperation with other firms for the production of clean energy and the development of relevant technology. For example, it is realizing development projects to construct green hydrogen production infrastructure in the Middle East and Australia. It is also accelerating the development of liquefied hydrogen storage facilities and regasification technologies by making use of the capabilities of subsidiary company Whessoe, a global designer of energy storage facilities.
Global efforts to develop carbon-free energy sources
Work is continuing all around the world to develop energy sources that do not emit carbon into the atmosphere as burning fossil fuels does. Hydrogen and ammonia are considered two such eco-friendly sources of energy. Thus, combusting them to generate power can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide generated as exhaust.
There is strong global interest in both these alternatives to fossil fuels. The US government plans to fund the building out of clean hydrogen infrastructure with 9.5 billion US dollars of funding, and Japan could be consuming 30 million tons of ammonia and 20 million tons of hydrogen per year by 2050, if recent predictions are realized. Meanwhile, major European companies are developing step-by-step fuel conversion and hydrogen turbine technology so that hydrogen can replace liquefied natural gas (LNG) in power generation.
Korea has a plan to begin commercialization of ammonia power generation at 20% by 2030 and hydrogen power generation at 30% by 2035, replacing existing coal-fired creation of electricity and LNG-based power, drastically cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Leading the acceleration of eco-friendly technologies
By gradually shifting its business portfolio after declaring a coal phase-out, Samsung C&T is increasing the proportion of its new renewable energy businesses. For example, in November 2021 Samsung C&T Engineering & Construction Group signed an agreement to develop overseas green hydrogen production facilities, build infrastructure for hydrogen storage and phasing in, and to develop liquefied hydrogen-related technologies. Secondly, in January this year, the E&C Group announced that it would be cooperating with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund and also that nation’s green hydrogen production business.
In addition to all this, Samsung C&T E&C Group is investing in other eco-friendly technologies too. For instance, the Group is constructing eco-friendly buildings with energy-efficient technology, contributing to its carbon-neutral policy. In addition, it is expanding its investment in eco-friendly technologies such as developing antibacterial and antiviral materials for use in homes and applying indoor fine-dust reduction and filtration systems to create a pleasant and healthy indoor environment for residents. Finally, Samsung C&T E&C Group is striving to expand the adoption of eco-friendly construction technologies such as the use of recyclable thermoplastic materials.
