SEOUL, KOREA — “The offshore wind power market is an engine for new growth.”
As the first speaker at the Global Wind Day Networking Seminar held on June 15, Jae-Yong NamKung, Deputy Director of New and Renewable Energy Division of the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, introduced the policy by explaining that, “Offshore wind power will begin to show rapid growth as the resource becomes abundant and stable for development.” He also mentioned that, “The government will make utmost efforts for wind power development.”
In order for this to occur, the government has decided to build a project site on the north-west coast of Korea to provide R&D innovation technology for offshore wind power. In addition, industrial foundations will be established by building a test-bed complex for wind power turbine certification. MKE aims to promote Korea as the second largest exporter of wind power systems through these efforts.
Meanwhile, Young-Hwan Kim, Director of Energy Policy of Presidential Committee on Green Growth, introduced the ‘Solution to and Improvement of Overland Wind Power License’. Use of wind power must be encouraged in order to reduce greenhouse gases and contribute to green growth. In order to attain this goal, the regulations on the location of wind power plants must be improved, Mr. Kim emphasized. He said the license procedure in the wind power industry must be made more clear and simple, and also that, to improve the system and customs of wind power business, local governments should be actively encouraging the promotion of new renewable energy.
The last group to introduce the policy was KOICA, which is working on a green ODA project by using new renewable energy. In this session, Han Geun-sik, a department head of KOICA, described the Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy, and said that, “KOICA will materialize green ODA policy based on the wind power industry.”
Sang-Ho Lee Chosen as the Remarkable Wind Power Figure
The 2012 Global Wind Day Networking Seminar was organized to provide unhindered communication amongst individuals involved in the Korean wind power industry as well as to celebrate Global Wind Day, which is an event proposed by European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) in an attempt to improve understanding of and heighten interest in wind power generation. First started in Europe in 2007, it is now co-organized by EWEA and Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), subsequently expanding to become an international event held in 38 countries around the world. In Korea on June 16, the event was organized by Korea Wind Energy Industry Association (KWEIA) and sponsored by MKE, Green Growth Committee, and KOICA.
The seminar began with an opening speech by Rim-taig Lee, Chairman of Korea Wind Energy Industry Association and a message by Jun-Dong Kim, Director general of Energy Policy of the MKE followed by citation awards and a policy seminar.
As a remarkable wind power figure, Sang-Ho Lee, CEO of Korea Southern Power (KOSPO), was selected as the recipient of the Citation from Minister of Knowledge Economy for his dedication to promoting wind power generation in Korea.
In 2004, KOSPO installed the 21MW Jeju Hangyeong wind power plant, marking the first time an electric power company has taken this step. The plant is now operating a total 63MW of wind power generators. Also, the company is planning to finish building the second complex Changjuk wind power (16MW) by November this year, in order to complete the project 100 Korean Wind Power Generators Additional wind power plant complexes are planned for 2013 in Pyeongchang (26MW), Muju (24MW), Jeongseon (40MW) and for 2014 Gimcheon (20MW), Bonghwa (40MW), Samcheok (40MW) amongst others. As a wind power leader, KOSPO is striving to build a large-capacity offshore wind power complex of 200MW in Jeju Daejeong by 2014 as well.
Later in the seminar, various policies were introduced including the government’s wind power policy, license-related issues and improvement, and ODA policy of KOICA, to which the wind power industry has been paying keen attention.
