Park Jae-hyuk is a seasoned journalist who has provided comprehensive coverage of South Korea's corporate dynamics, economic policies, industry challenges and the global positioning of Korean companies. Based on the articles he has written since joining The Korea Times in 2016, his investigative approach has helped readers understand corporate governance, economic trends and business strategies shaping South Korea’s economy.
Hyundai Motor ready for multilateral cooperation for Indonesian hydrogen project
Park Jae-ha, third from left, head of Hyundai Motor Group's global hydrogen business division, poses with Eniya Listiani Dewi, center, director general of Indonesia's energy and mineral resources ministry, and Ari Kurniawan, second from left, project director of Pertamina, during the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem Summit 2025 in Jakarta, Tuesday. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Group
By Park Jae-hyuk
Korean automaker unveils plan to partner with Indonesia, Pertamina
Hyundai Motor Group has detailed its partnership with the Indonesian government and the country's state-run energy company Pertamina for a project to build a waste-to-hydrogen (W2H) ecosystem in the Southeast Asian nation.
The announcement was made during the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem Summit 2025, held Tuesday in Jakarta by the Indonesia Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy. The event drew Indonesian government officials and business leaders who discussed the country's hydrogen roadmap and key initiatives supporting the transition.
According to the Korean firm, the W2H model involves fermenting organic waste, such as food, sludge and livestock manure, to produce biogas. The company said this method allows for cost-effective regional hydrogen production by reducing the need for long-distance transportation and storage.
Hyundai Motor Group has already implemented W2H technology in Korea through projects such as a mini hydrogen city in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, as well as facilities in North Chungcheong Province, including a food bio center in Chungju and a public sewage treatment plant in Cheongju.
However, the Indonesian initiative marks its first attempt to produce hydrogen from organic waste overseas.
In cooperation with Korean landfill developer Sejin GNE, Hyundai Motor Group plans to use biogas from the Sarimukti Landfill in West Java and convert it into clean hydrogen using Hyundai Rotem's hydrogen reformer.
The group also intends to collaborate with Pertamina throughout the hydrogen value chain, ranging from production and transportation to mobility applications.
"With our hydrogen business brand HTWO, we hope to expand hydrogen production in collaboration with the Indonesian government and companies and further accelerate the transition to a hydrogen-powered society," a Hyundai Motor Group official said.