Installed in Naepo at 'Chungnam Energy Center'... Implementing 2050 Vision for 0% Coal Power

[Asia Economy (Naepo) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province will establish and operate the energy transition dedicated organization, the ‘Chungnam Energy Center,’ in Naepo New City.

According to the province on the 14th, the Energy Center was established as an affiliated institution of Chungnam Technopark with the purpose of securing residents' health rights through the implementation of Chungnam’s energy transition vision, promoting regional policies aligned with national energy policies, and discovering new energy industries.

The main tasks include ▲training energy transition specialists ▲public discussion on coal phase-out and execution of energy vision ▲formation and operation of renewable energy funds ▲support for establishing energy plans ▲energy-saving education and promotion ▲building energy-related networks ▲energy surveys, research, and statistics establishment ▲support for resident-participatory energy projects ▲activation of energy-related cooperatives ▲promotion of Chungnam-type energy transition pilot projects ▲creation of energy self-reliant villages.

Additionally, it will take on roles such as rural solar power dissemination and project discovery, renewable energy dissemination and support, commercialization support according to Chungnam’s mid- to long-term energy industry development plan, energy business consulting, feasibility studies for new energy industries, development of new hydrogen energy businesses, investigations related to hydrogen pricing and charging stations, and discovery of fuel cell expansion projects.

The Energy Center also supports the preparation of project proposals for institutions wishing to participate in government energy projects. This year, to promote ‘renewable energy dissemination and expansion,’ it will pursue four tasks: ▲establishment of renewable energy maintenance and monitoring ▲dissemination and expansion of renewable energy on idle public institution sites ▲renewable energy startup education and investment attraction ▲support for discovering energy living labs.

In the ‘energy saving and transition’ sector, four tasks will be carried out: ▲support for one-stop energy efficiency services ▲visiting energy saving and transition education and promotion ▲participation in the 2020 Korea Energy Show ▲capacity building for energy officers in basic local governments.

For ‘new business discovery and infrastructure establishment,’ three tasks are planned: ▲strengthening cooperation systems and exchanges with energy civic groups ▲discovery and pilot implementation of resident-participatory regional specialized projects ▲expansion of citizen participation base and establishment of regional energy databases.

A provincial official stated, “Eco-friendly energy transition in the region is no longer a task that can be postponed,” adding, “For the same reason, the province has established and is promoting an energy transition vision aiming for 0% coal-fired power plant share, 47.5% renewable energy generation, and nurturing 800,000 energy prosumers by 2050.”

He also added, “The Energy Center will serve as an advanced base to promote private investment and activate various clean energy transition projects in accordance with the province’s energy transition vision.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.