[Interview] SNU Professor Min Soo Kim "Hydroelectric Care Are Essential for Development of Automobile Industry”

<?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> 

■ KOFST & KAST Forum

"Must Not Neglect Hydrogen and Electric Cars;

Future Regulations Will Stop

the Sales of Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

Hyundai & Kia Hydroelectric Car Technology

Has Become Top-Level, Comparable to Japan

Policies Such as Increasing Charging Stations Are Needed"

 

 

 

Prof. Min Soo Kim of SNU Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering talks about hydrogen economy at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Center. (Feb 18) /Photo=Kwang-bon Koh

 

 

“Hydroelectric cars are important not just for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also for the future development of the current automobile industry.”

 

February 18, Professor Min Soo Kim (Photo·57)&nbsp;of Seoul National University Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering gave a lecture on ‘Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology and Its Future Prospects’ at the ‘Advent of Hydrogen Economy and Our Tasks’ Forum, organized by the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies and the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, held at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Center. Afterwards, Prof. Kim met up with the Seoul Economic Daily. “If we don’t focus on developing hydroelectric cars and electric cars, future regulations on fuel efficiency, emissions, and CO2 might stop us from selling internal combustion engine vehicles,” he explained. Prof. Kim received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degree at SNU Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Appointed as a faculty member in 1994, he has been active in thermal engineering education and research and served as Principle Research Fellow of Presidential Advisory Council on Education, Science & Technology and Research Fellow of National Science and Technology Council. Currently, he is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea. He has also been researching hydrogen-powered cars of Hyundai Motor Company, known in the industry as a hydrogen-powered car preacher.

 

He first mentioned the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) session held in Incheon last October, where it was agreed that global warming be limited to 1.5 degrees until the year 2100. This means that until 2030, CO2 emissions have to be cut back more than 45% compared to 2010. In fact, following through, France banned diesel cars until 2024, and Norway and the Netherlands stopped the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles—including gasoline cars—until 2025. “Problems still exist. There still is some doubt about hydroelectric cars, and we need to provide charging stations. But hydrogen economy is the path to take,” said Prof. Kim. “Hydrogen economy will be able to provide fuel cells to be used at home, in buildings, and in the industry.” Hydroelectric car technology is considered to be a field with first-mover advantage, which is another good reason to keep trying.

 

But he also noted that the government should provide consistent R&D and investment in human resources, instead of changing up policies as the administration changes. For example, the Roh administration focused on hydrogen economy and hybrid technology such as fuel cells; the following Lee administration turned to electric cars and diesel, and the last Park administration took up developing self-driving vehicles. “The Roh government supported hydrogen economy, but as the administration changed, the push failed to continue,” said Prof. Kim. Japan, on the other hand, came up with a hydrogen economy roadmap around the year 2000. Currently, they are pursuing hydrogen economy regardless of administration changes; Kawasaki Heavy Industries is constructing two liquid hydrogen tankers.

 

“Hyundai and Kia Motors possess top-level hydroelectric car technology along with Japan’s Toyota and Honda,” said Prof. Kim. “The price of hydroelectric cars need to be decreased. We also need to build charging stations in the center of Seoul via regulatory sandbox.”

 

Director Sae-hoon Kim of Hyundai Motors (Head of Mabuk R&D Center), current Secretary General of the Hydrogen Council consisting of 54 global companies, spoke at the Forum. “Instead of only focusing on the situation in Korea, we also need to see what the hydrogen economy roadmaps are like in US and Japan,” Kim said. “Hydroelectric and electric are eco-friendly cars of the future. We must not miss the opportunity to seize the lead in the field of hydroelectric cars.” Bong-seok Kim, who oversees hydrogen economy policies in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, commented: “In the past we have used the fast-follower strategy in order to achieve economic development in a short period of time, but the same strategy will not be effective in the advent of 4^th Industrial Revolution. Now, we must adopt the first-mover strategy, with public and private sectors cooperating.” /Article and photo=Kwang-bon Koh kbgo@sedaily.com

 

 

 

Link to article:  https://www.sedaily.com/NewsView/1VFD0ZP5FD/GD0508