November 22, 2008

POSCO starts operating largest fuel cell battery plant

It is reported that POSCO has began operating the world's biggest plant making fuel cells for power generation.

The new plant is the world's largest, producing 50 MW fuel cell batteries designed for power generation. It is also the first of its kind in Asia. Total investment was KRW 330 billion including R&D costs.

In 2007, POSCO established a strategic tie up with FuelCell Energy, the American firm that first succeeded in commercializing fuel cell batteries that generate electricity.

The fuel cell battery is a device that obtains electrical energy via a chemical reaction between hydrogen extracted from LNG and methane gas and oxygen in the air. There are several categories, from travel to household use and power generation, depending on power generation capacity. This battery does not produce any pollutants like carbon dioxide.