Hyundai Motor Group has officially announced detailed plans to develop a waste-to-hydrogen (W2H) ecosystem in Indonesia’s West Java Province, marking a significant milestone in the company's global expansion of sustainable energy projects. The announcement was made at the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem Summit held in Jakarta, an event organized by the Indonesia Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association (IFHE). The summit was attended by top-level representatives, including Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), key figures from the Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS), as well as executives from Hyundai Motor Group and PT Pertamina (Persero), the state-owned energy enterprise.

The event served as a platform for stakeholders to align on Indonesia’s hydrogen future, with ESDM presenting the country’s national hydrogen roadmap, and BAPPENAS introducing hydrogen policy directions for Nusantara, the planned new capital city. During the summit, Hyundai Motor Group unveiled its blueprint to utilize landfill-derived biogas to produce low-carbon hydrogen and power a hydrogen refueling station using Pertamina’s existing compressed natural gas (CNG) infrastructure. This station is expected to be operational by 2027.

The biogas for this project will be sourced from the Sarimukti landfill, located near Bandung in West Java, which currently processes approximately 80 percent of the 1,500 tons of daily waste produced in the region. Due to climate-related challenges such as floods, fires, and landslides, the surrounding communities have faced serious environmental risks. In response, Hyundai Motor Group has partnered with Good Neighbors to improve access to clean water and healthcare services for residents in the area.

In addition, Hyundai is working closely with Sejin G&E to secure the Sarimukti landfill and prevent future disasters. The landfill will serve as the main biogas source for hydrogen production, utilizing Hyundai Rotem’s steam methane reforming (SMR) technology. This collaborative initiative with Pertamina spans the full hydrogen value chain—from land provision for hydrogen refueling infrastructure, to hydrogen production, distribution, and end-use in vehicles.

Hyundai’s Vice President and Head of Global Hydrogen Business Sub-Division, Jaeha Park, emphasized the significance of this project, noting it as the first international expansion of Hyundai’s successful resource-circulating hydrogen production model, initially implemented in Korea. The company aims to work closely with Indonesian partners through its dedicated hydrogen brand, HTWO, to foster a sustainable hydrogen economy.

The W2H initiative in Indonesia builds on Hyundai’s established success in South Korea, where it has implemented similar projects in cities like Chungju, Cheongju, and Paju. The existing facility in Chungju already produces hydrogen from organic waste and sewage sludge, with additional sites planned to launch this year and next.

The Indonesian initiative was previewed earlier this year at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, where Hyundai revealed its W2H roadmap focused on organic waste-to-hydrogen solutions. With Indonesia serving as a strategic hub for Hyundai’s operations in Southeast Asia, the Group sees this initiative as a key stepping stone toward a broader hydrogen-powered future in the ASEAN region.