Water-Based 'Green New Deal'... Supplying Thermal Energy to Yeongdong-daero Complex Transfer Center

Seoul City and 'Yeongdong-daero Complex Transfer Center Thermal Energy Utilization Business Agreement' Signed
Joint Efforts to Create an Eco-Friendly City... Active Participation in Green New Deal Projects

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), under the Ministry of Environment, announced on the 24th that it will sign a "Business Agreement for Utilizing Thermal Energy from Water at Yeongdong-daero Complex Transfer Center" with the Seoul Metropolitan Government. K-water expects this to emerge as a model "Green New Deal" policy, as effectively utilizing thermal energy from water can solve both economic and environmental issues.

Thermal energy from water is an eco-friendly water energy that uses the characteristic of water temperature in dams, rivers, or water pipes being lower than the air temperature in summer and relatively warmer in winter. The heat from cold or warm water is converted into energy through a heat exchange device and used for heating and cooling.

The main contents of the agreement include mutual information sharing for project promotion, stable supply of thermal energy from raw water of the metropolitan waterworks, and joint efforts to create eco-friendly urban spaces.

Thermal energy of 4,030 refrigeration tons (RT), using raw water from the first phase of the metropolitan waterworks managed by K-water, will be supplied to the Yeongdong-daero Complex Transfer Center, scheduled for completion in 2027, which will be the largest in Korea (7 basement floors).

As a result, it is expected to save 437 tons of oil equivalent (TOE) of energy annually and reduce about 1,000 tons of greenhouse gases.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will replace the planned fuel cell facilities with thermal energy from water, saving a total budget of 20.5 billion KRW, including 15.2 billion KRW for fuel cell facility costs and securing 1,000㎡ of installation site.

Source=Korea Water Resources Corporation

Using thermal energy from water eliminates the need to install cooling towers for existing heating and cooling facilities, reducing urban heat island effects and noise.

This provides a comfortable environment for citizens using the ground plaza and can practically contribute to making Seoul an eco-friendly city.

K-water has been supplying thermal energy of 3,000 RT to Lotte World Tower since 2014. In June, it signed a supply agreement for 11,390 RT with Seoul Samsung Hospital.

It is also expanding the supply of eco-friendly water energy by providing thermal energy to the advanced industrial complexes planned in Gwangmyeong and Siheung cities in Gyeonggi Province.

Overseas, thermal energy from water is being utilized in district cooling systems such as 75,000 RT in Toronto, Canada; 42,000 RT in Paris, France; and 4,800 RT in the Hakozaki district, Japan.

Lee Jun-geun, Director of K-water’s Green Infrastructure Division, said, "This agreement will be an opportunity to greatly enhance the social value of water by reducing greenhouse gases and creating a comfortable urban environment using water. We will actively participate in presenting a model alternative for the Green New Deal through thermal energy from water, which can solve both economic and environmental problems simultaneously."

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