New Logo of SK ecoplant.

SK ecoplant has achieved a feat of entering the heat supply fuel cell market by demonstrating the world’s best efficiency solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC).

SK ecoplant said on June 9 the company won a 4.2MW SOFC power plant EPC order for the Bukpyeng Leports Center from Korea East-West Power Co. (EWP).

EWP and Donghae City are implementing a project to improve the region’s energy welfare. The project calls for building a heat supply SOFC plant near the Bukpyeng Leports Center in Gumi-dong, Donghae City.

The SOFC plant will be dedicated by next June after 12 months of construction.

If the plant is operated as planned, it will supply about 35,000MWh of electricity and about 4,000Gcal of heat per annum. The produced electricity and heat are enough for 7,000 and 300 households, respectively.

The produced heat will be supplied to the Bukpyeng Leports Center – heating and supply water to the structure and its swimming pool.

The plant is designed to improve neighborhood residents’ welfare and max out energy efficiency, SK ecoplant said.

The plant is characterized by Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, developed by Bloom Energy, with the world’s top-tier power generation efficiency rate and almost no emissions, coupled with an innovative heat retrieval module, developed by SK ecoplant.

The heat retrieval module will retrieve the heat, being emitted by the SOFC plant, and supply medium temperature boiler water at 100 degrees or above.

The energy efficiency rate of the conventional power generation plus heat supply is expected to renew the world’s highest current energy efficiency rate.

It takes on significance that technology development has overcome the conventional limit of SOFC power generation.

The heat retrieval module being used in the project will be produced and installed under a partnership with Korean mid-size superstar companies based on SK ecoplant’s rich experiences and technologies related to plant projects.

An SK ecoplant official said SOFC, boasting the world’s highest power generation efficiency rate, has made a technological advancement, enabling heat supply.

SK ecoplant plans to upgrade heat supply SOFC solutions in cooperation with Bloom Energy, and explore ways of entering foreign combined cycle power plant markets on top of the conventional eco-friendly distributed power generation sector down the road, the official said.

A Bloom Energy Korea official said Bloom Energy Korea is proud of participating in an innovative project tailored to meet regional society needs in cooperation with SK ecoplant and mid-size superstar companies.

Bloom Energy Korea extended its thanks for being given the chance to offer a stable supply of eco-friendly power to EWP, as well as heat and hot water, to the newly built leisure and sports facilities for Gumi-dong residents, the official said.

SK ecoplant won a 4.2MW SOFC power plant EPC order for the Bukpyeng Leports Center in Donghae City from Korea East-West Power Co. (Photos: SK ecoplant)

SK ecoplant Added to ‘Inclusive Company 2.0’ Initiative by MSS

SK ecoplant was designated as the fourth company of “Inclusive Company 2.0” initiative by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) on June 3.

The “Inclusive Company 2.0” initiative calls for large-sized companies to volunteer in sharing their own capabilities and expertise with SMEs. MSS reorganized the conventional shared growth collaboration to the Inclusive Company 2.0 initiative to embrace shared growth as well as SMEs’ carbon neutrality and ESG management.

SK ecoplant struck a deal to join the Inclusive Company 2.0 initiative with MSS at the former’s office in Jongno-gu, Seoul.