#South Korea #Hyundai Motor Group #Hydrogen Council #Gyeongju #APEC Summit

Advancing Hydrogen Initiatives at APEC CEO Summit 2025

Hyundai Motor Group recently showcased its hydrogen strategy at the APEC CEO Summit Korea 2025, held in Gyeongju, South Korea. The summit's session titled Hydrogen, Beyond Mobility, New Energy for Society, featured insights from Hyundai's Vice Chair Jaehoon Chang and Ivana Jemelkova, CEO of the Hydrogen Council. Their discussion centered on hydrogen's critical role in achieving carbon neutrality and transforming the energy landscape.

During the session, Vice Chair Chang underscored hydrogen's potential to accelerate carbon neutrality by addressing the unreliability of renewable energy systems. “Hydrogen enhances energy resilience and acts as a strategic energy carrier, which facilitates localized production and distribution,” he stated. This capacity enables communities to foster self-sufficiency through off-grid systems and microgrids, reducing dependence on centralized energy sources.

The APEC event served as an ideal platform for global leaders to come together on pressing issues like regional integration and sustainability. In his remarks, Chang emphasized the necessity for collaborative efforts to promote hydrogen adoption across various sectors. He called upon industry and governments to partner towards developing a robust hydrogen ecosystem, essential for both energy supply and demand.

The discussions at the summit revealed ambitious plans, highlighted by the Global Hydrogen Compass 2025 initiative, which aims to pivot the hydrogen industry from mere ambitions to tangible actions. With over $110 billion already committed across 510 projects worldwide, there has been an impressive tenfold increase in capital commitments since 2020.

Ivana Jemelkova backed Chang’s assertions, noting that the critical next step for the hydrogen industry will be ensuring sustainable demand through effective policies and collaborative ventures between the public and private sectors. “Stakeholders must coordinate to develop consistent, actionable policies that can drive the hydrogen economy forward,” she remarked.

Hyundai, recognized for its nearly 30 years of leadership in hydrogen technologies, is committed to not only enhancing the supply chain but also driving consumer demand. Chang reaffirmed, “Creating demand and ensuring supply must go hand in hand. Hyundai is taking bold steps on both fronts to cultivate a thriving hydrogen environment, as this is a collective challenge that cannot be tackled by any single entity.”

As Hyundai Motor Group continues to lead the charge in hydrogen innovation, the company showcases the importance of hydrogen technology across the entire value chain—from production and storage to application—solidifying its position as a leader in the transition to sustainable energy solutions.

With these initiatives and discussions, Hyundai Motor Group stands at the forefront of the global hydrogen movement, striving to bring about a more sustainable future and addressing the pressing challenges posed by climate change.