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KIST and LG Chem Join Hands for Carbon Neutrality (April 26, 2022)
- Date : 2022-06-03
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International Cooperation Team
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KIST and LG Chem Join Hands for Carbon Neutrality
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST; President: Dr. Seok-Jin Yoon) announced that it held a signboard hanging ceremony with LG Chem (CEO: Mr. Hak-Cheol Shin) on April 26 to promote technology transfers and establish a joint laboratory for developing carbon-neutral technologies.
KIST and LG Chem signed a memorandum of understanding
(MOU) in April of last year for the joint research and development of technologies
related to carbon neutrality such as hydrogen energy, and have identified 10
promising carbon-neutral technologies with significant commercialization
potential. Among them, the electrochemical CO2 conversion ethylene
production technology developed by Clean Energy Research Division Director Dr.
Byoung Koun Min and Dr. Hyung-Suk Oh’s team, and the C6 organic acid production
technology using synthetic gas and sugar developed by Dr. Youngsoon Um’s team were
the first to be selected for transfer to the newly launched joint laboratory at
LG Chem.
“Electrochemical CO2 conversion ethylene
production” is a technology which produces CO2 directly using
electricity, and is a very challenging and influential technology that is still
in the early stages of development. Meanwhile, “C6 organic acid production using
synthetic gas and sugar” is a technology which converts synthetic gas or carbon
dioxide into C4-C6 organic acids and alcohols using new acetogen microorganisms
discovered by KIST, and is expected to lead to the production of carbon-neutral
C6 organic acids using non-food-based lignocellulose biomass. These two technologies
were derived from research conducted by the Ministry of Science and ICT
(Minister: Ms. Hye Sook Lim) with the support of the “next-generation carbon
resource development project,” “CtoX technology development project,” “C1 gas
refinery project,” and KIST’s institutional program.
In addition, KIST and LG Chem have developed various
infrastructure and human resource exchange programs for promoting sustainable
research and cooperation between the two organizations. In order to further
strengthen practical research cooperation, a joint laboratory was established
in KIST’s Environmental Research Building to enable researchers from both
institutions to conduct research together. In addition, a human resource
exchange program was also developed. Through this program, two LG Chem researchers
started their Ph.D. this year through the KIST Academic Program. LG Chem also plans
to select KIST students to receive tuition and training support, and after
graduation, give those students an opportunity to join LG Chem.
The President of KIST, Dr. Yoon, commented, “The
implementation of carbon neutrality by 2050 is a key factor in determining the
success of the development of completely new, never-before-seen technologies,”
and added, “Our success will depend on how we commercialize the original
technologies currently being developed by national research institutes. In this
regard, research cooperation between KIST and LG Chem is significant, as it
will be a useful model for the early commercialization of original technologies."
In addition, LG Chem CTO Mr. Ji Young Yoo stated, “We expect to secure and commercialize related source technologies through cooperation with KIST, which is known for possessing the best technologies in the field of carbon neutrality in Korea.”