Gyeongju: Hydrogen energy will eventually become as commonplace as smartphones, but global industries and stakeholders need to actively promote public awareness and accelerate its adoption, Ivana Jemelkova, the chief executive officer of the Hydrogen Council, stated during a group media interview conducted on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Jemelkova emphasized that the transition to hydrogen parallels the early adoption phase of smartphones, which have become indispensable in everyday life. The Hydrogen Council, a coalition of over 140 energy, transport, and industrial companies from 20 countries, aims to position hydrogen as a key element in the future energy transition. Hyundai Motor Group serves as a co-chair of this organization.
During the interview in Gyeongju, Jemelkova remarked, "When countries and companies choose to make hydrogen happen, it is very possible. We need to capitalize on that, and double and triple until we get to a point where we thought it was always like this. Just like we have done with other technologies." She pointed out that public perception remains a significant barrier for the hydrogen industry, despite global investments exceeding $110 billion and over 500 projects currently in construction or operation.
Jemelkova noted that while hydrogen may not yet be a common household item, it is already impacting lives by enabling industries to move towards the future. She lauded South Korea as a pivotal player in advancing hydrogen technologies to consumers, citing Hyundai's fuel cell systems and infrastructure as examples of potential achievements.
"Korea has all the ingredients to be incredibly successful in hydrogen," Jemelkova stated. She highlighted the country's strong long-term vision, government support for hydrogen development, and an innovative industry ecosystem. She added, "What happens here can really incubate the industry and help scale it outside the borders of this country."
South Korea is a leader in hydrogen infrastructure, operating nearly 200 hydrogen refueling stations and approximately 40,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles, representing one of the highest concentrations globally. Jemelkova asserted that this scale demonstrates hydrogen's potential to extend beyond industrial applications into the public domain, contingent upon continued support from the government and companies.
Jemelkova revealed that Hyundai Motor plans to host 200 global industry leaders in South Korea next month to showcase the replicability of the country's hydrogen experience elsewhere. She concluded, "Korea has every reason to lead on hydrogen. It's already showing the world how collaboration, innovation, and commitment can turn vision into reality."