Forum held Monday through Wednesday at Jeju International Convention Center

106 institutions from 9 countries participate

Executive stresses need for efficient energy utilization systems alongside renewable expansion

Hyundai Motor's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle "The All New Nexo" (right) and flagship electric SUV "Ioniq 9" are on display at the exhibition space of the 2026 Green Hydrogen Global Forum with Distributed Energy Forum, held at the Jeju International Convention Center from Monday through Oct. 3. [Hyundai Motor Group]
Hyundai Motor's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle "The All New Nexo" (right) and flagship electric SUV "Ioniq 9" are on display at the exhibition space of the 2026 Green Hydrogen Global Forum with Distributed Energy Forum, held at the Jeju International Convention Center from Monday through Oct. 3. [Hyundai Motor Group]

Hyundai Motor Group said Wednesday it participated in the 2026 Green Hydrogen Global Forum with Distributed Energy Forum, held over three days from Monday at the Jeju International Convention Center, sharing its vision for energy transition through renewable energy and hydrogen, as well as the role of hydrogen mobility.

The forum is co-hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and organized by the Green Hydrogen Glocal Research Center. Participants included the International Energy Agency, the Global Green Growth Institute, embassies of major countries, and 106 institutions, companies and universities from nine nations.

Under the theme "Jeju, Climate Economy Capital: Setting a New Standard for Global Energy Transition," the forum addressed energy transition challenges including the production and use of green hydrogen based on renewable energy and the expansion of clean hydrogen demand.

Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice President Shin Seung-gyu, who attended the opening ceremony held Tuesday, said in a congratulatory address that "as the spread of renewable energy expands, it becomes increasingly important to ensure both a stable energy supply and an efficient system for utilizing that energy."

Shin added that "storing hydrogen produced from renewable energy and deploying it when needed can contribute to greater flexibility in the energy system," and that "Jeju can play an important role in demonstrating and spreading this kind of energy transition model."

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is pursuing a "climate economy capital" vision in which clean energy production translates into tangible benefits for the local economy and residents' lives.

Jeju has been building its clean hydrogen production and utilization base since launching a 250-kilowatt water electrolysis demonstration project in 2017. A 3.3-megawatt electrolysis complex in Haengwon, Gujwa-eup, Jeju, has been producing about 200 kilograms of hydrogen per day since September 2024, supplying hydrogen buses and passenger vehicles on the island.

Jeju is also actively expanding its hydrogen mobility fleet, with plans to introduce a cumulative total of about 370 vehicles by 2027 — 290 passenger cars, 76 buses and three trucks. Hyundai Motor Group has been cooperating with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province since 2021, when the two sides began working together to build an eco-friendly vehicle ecosystem, and has since extended that collaboration to hydrogen and vehicle-to-grid areas.

Shin said "the combination of renewable energy and hydrogen is a critical foundation for turning the new possibilities of energy transition into reality," adding that "Hyundai Motor Group will work closely with Jeju to build the future of South Korea's hydrogen economy together."

Hyundai Motor Group also participated Tuesday in a session titled "Strategy for Expanding the Clean Hydrogen Demand Market: From Low-Carbon Power to Industry and Mobility," presenting on the topic of "FCEV-Based Urban Mobility Resilience Strategy."

In the presentation, Hyundai Motor Group said fuel cell electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles are not competing technologies but complementary mobility solutions, each suited to different use cases.

The group said FCEVs offer particular value in long-distance, heavy-load transport requiring fast refueling, long range and high operational availability, as well as in essential mobility sectors such as buses, taxis and logistics trucks.

"Hydrogen mobility is an alternative that can complement power-based mobility in areas requiring reliable operation, such as long-distance transport and disaster response," a Hyundai Motor Group official said. "We will explore the diverse potential applications of combining renewable energy and hydrogen, and work with partners to help expand the clean hydrogen demand ecosystem."

Hyundai Motor Group also displayed the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle "The All New Nexo" and the electric vehicle "Ioniq 9" at the forum's exhibition space, introducing its hydrogen mobility and electrification technologies and highlighting the wide-ranging possibilities of eco-friendly mobility.

Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor Group recently signed a letter of intent with the African Development Bank at its headquarters in Yangjae, Seocho-gu, Seoul, covering cooperation on industrialization, transport infrastructure and clean energy transition in Africa, as part of its broader efforts at home and abroad to foster a clean energy ecosystem that includes hydrogen.


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