[에경ㅣ인터뷰] Governor Moon-soon Choi “I am proud of being selected as an excellent example of a resident-participating business model”

▲Governor Choi Moon-soon, Gangwon Province

[에너지경제신문 최윤지 기자] “I am proud to be counted as an excellent case for regional innovation as a resident-participating business model.”

Gangwon-do Governor Choi Moon-soon gave this meaning as a leading role in the Taebaek Gadeoksan wind power project.

The following is a brief interview with Governor Choi in writing.

-What is the meaning of the Taebaek Gadeoksan wind farm in Gangwon-do?

▲ Gadeoksan Wind Power Complex is the first renewable energy project promoted by Gangwon-do by establishing a special purpose corporation (SPC) in the form of joint participation by Dongsung with Korea East-West Power, a power generation company, and Korolong Global, a private company. In addition, for the first time as a wind power complex in Korea, residents are promoting in connection with the Taebaek Citizen Fund (1.7 billion won) and the government’s national shareholders project (3.3 billion won) to overcome conflicts with residents and secure community acceptance. As a participatory business model, it is of great significance in that it has become an excellent example of regional innovation as it is designed to return the profits generated through the operation of the wind farm to the region.

-The background of the business.

▲ Proactively responding to the government’s decoking and nuclear power plant energy conversion policies, such as the government’s’Five-Year Plan for State Administration’,’Renewable Energy 3020 Implementation Plan’, and’The 4th New and Renewable Energy Basic Plan’ In accordance with the’Energy 3020 Action Plan’, Gangwon-do is a large-scale wind power generation complex that utilizes the nation’s best wind power resources to expand the supply of eco-friendly energy sources, expand voluntary financial resources for welfare projects for the energy vulnerable in the province, and expand new and renewable energy generation complexes with residents. I started to promote the creation.

-What is your impression of promoting the business?

▲ A record abnormal climate has been witnessed worldwide due to the increase in greenhouse gases, and the Korean Peninsula recently experienced an unprecedented long rainy season and a strong typhoon. As the government recently announced the’Korea Declaration of Carbon Neutrality (December 10, 2020), climate change is approaching a crisis for all humankind, including the Korean Peninsula. Gangwon-do has come to fruition when it commenced commercial operation of the Taebaek Gadeoksan wind farm in September this year. Based on these experiences, Gangwon-do continues to expand the supply of renewable energy with residents such as solar and wind power, contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gases and the realization of carbon neutrality, and grows eco-friendly energy-related industries, We want to contribute to improving the quality of our products.

-What are the future business prospects and plans for renewable energy generation projects in Gangwon-do?

▲ The Taebaek Gadeoksan wind farm is scheduled to be completed in the first phase of the project in May of the new year. After that, in order to promote the second phase of the project, the feasibility study for the project was completed at the end of October last year, and administrative implementation procedures such as local financial investment review are currently underway. In the future, Gangwon-do plans to carry out a sustainable renewable energy supply project using abundant and available natural resources in Korea in accordance with the government’s renewable energy 3020 implementation plan, Green New Deal, and carbon neutral policy. We will try to promote the participation of local residents and share the development benefits.