UAC Unveils Glass Fiber Hydrogen Transport Solutions at HWE 2025
GOYANG, South Korea – UMOE Advanced Composites (UAC), a Norwegian composite material company, showcased its glass fiber composite high-pressure cylinder solutions for hydrogen storage and transport at the World Hydrogen Expo 2025 (HWE 2025), held at KINTEX in Ilsan from Dec. 4 to 7.
At the event, Jimmy Tseng, General Manager of UAC China, outlined the economic advantages of glass fiber materials and the company’s strategy for entering the South Korean market.
The current hydrogen transport market primarily relies on steel or carbon fiber tanks. Steel tanks are heavy, limiting transport efficiency, while carbon fiber tanks offer lightweight benefits but come with high raw material costs.
UAC stated,
By adopting glass fiber as the core material, we have reduced material costs to approximately one-tenth of that of carbon fiber,
“This approach achieves both lightweight design and manufacturing cost reductions, securing economic viability for hydrogen transport.” Generally, storage and transport costs account for about 50 percent of the final price of hydrogen.
Headquartered in Norway, UAC has approximately 20 years of industry experience. To date, the company has supplied over 10,000 cylinders to more than 30 countries for applications including onshore transport, marine vessels, subsea storage, and offshore wind projects. In 2021, UAC established a production base in Zhaoqing, China, to serve the Asian market.
Regarding the Asian market landscape, Tseng analyzed that “while China has strengths in hydrogen refueling stations and equipment manufacturing, South Korea excels in the deployment of hydrogen passenger and commercial vehicles.” However, he noted that hydrogen storage and transport infrastructure remain challenges that need to be addressed.
On the strategy for the Korean market, Tseng, explained,
South Korea has strict safety standards, and relevant regulations are currently being refined.
”As glass fiber composites represent a new technology compared to traditional steel tanks, we plan to collaborate with certification bodies, logistics operators, and station operators to help establish regulations and standards.”
Tseng added,
For the hydrogen industry to transition from a subsidy-driven model to a market-driven one, the economic feasibility of equipment is essential,
“We aim to support the reduction of hydrogen transport costs through our material technology and mass production capabilities.”
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UAC Unveils Glass Fiber Hydrogen Transport Solutions at HWE 2025, source
