[2021 대전환] Eco-friendly wind blowing in the’solar power and coal decoking’ construction industry

[에너지경제신문 윤민영 기자] As the promotion of the Green New Deal spreads around the world, the government is also focusing on energy conversion as part of the Korean New Deal. In particular, as the government announced that it plans to invest 73 trillion won over the next five years last year, construction companies are also trying to diversify their eco-friendly projects. Accordingly, the main keyword of the construction industry this year is expected to be mainly related to’eco-friendly’ or’new and renewable energy’.

While concentrating on housing business and overseas orders last year, each company declared a’eco-friendly construction company’ such as promoting a new and renewable energy business, and was busy reorganizing its organization. Such a move is to overcome the increasingly difficult crisis in the construction industry. Last year, construction investment decreased after the second quarter due to variables such as Corona 19, falling international oil prices, and a long rainy season. Although there was a forecast that construction investment, including SOC, will increase by 1.0% compared to last year this year, it is unlikely that the construction industry will improve significantly.

There are still uncertainties that began this year from last year. Accordingly, many construction companies are taking this year as a starting line to overcome the limitations of the construction industry and discover mid- to long-term food and improve the corporate structure.

Currently, the government is implementing a nuclear power plant policy that reduces the share of nuclear power and thermal power, which account for the majority of electricity generation. Instead, it is pushing ahead with measures to increase renewable energy such as solar power, wind power, and hydropower. Construction companies are also declaring nuclear power generation or are preparing plans to envision new and renewable energy as their main portfolio. As coal-free coal has already become a global trend, most large construction companies have jumped into related businesses with the focus of’ESG (environmental, social, governance) management’.

Samsung C&T does not participate in any coal-related projects, including thermal power plants currently under construction. Instead, it plans to expand eco-friendly business such as renewable energy such as wind power and solar power, LNG combined cycle power and storage facilities. In December of last year, it was selected as a preliminary bidder for a 200MW (megawatt)-class solar power generation project to be promoted to Sheravid in Surhandariya, southern Uzbekistan through a consortium with the Korea Electric Power Corporation.

Hyundai E&C is also pursuing environmental energy management strategies and activities. As the head of the housing business division (Vice President) Yoon Young-jun, who had a master’s degree in environmental studies last year, was elected as the next president of Hyundai E&C, it was predicted that new businesses related to eco-friendliness would have momentum. In fact, at the end of last year, Hyundai E&C also announced the ‘2025 Vision’, which contains details related to expanding eco-friendly businesses such as hydrogen fuel cells, offshore wind power, and tidal power, and eco-friendly businesses such as smart farms, biogas, and polluted soil purification. In addition, Hyundai E&C is expected to accelerate the expansion of its new and renewable energy business through the Clean Energy Center in Siheung, Gyeonggi-do, which produces biogas, which is consistent with Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen economy strategy.

SK E&C actively engaged in energy-related businesses by establishing an eco-friendly solution division consisting of organizations such as the Smart Green Industrial Complex Business Group and Recycling Business Group, and reorganizing the energy technology division into the new energy solution division. In addition, it has signed a business agreement (MOU) on technology development and cooperation for floating offshore wind power projects with 15 domestic and foreign companies, including GIG, a green energy development and investment company, and French global energy companies.

▲’Sun Garden’, a park in Solar Power Plant in Guseong District, Haenam, Jeollanam-do, completed last year by Hanyang.

Hanyang Island is expected to take a further leap forward as an energy company with LNG and new renewable energy beyond the construction project. Last year, Hanyang completed the construction of Korea Southern Power, KB Asset Management, and Energy Infrastructure Asset Management, and the largest solar power plant in Korea at about 1.58 million square meters in Solar City, Guseong District, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do. In addition, construction of a 127,000 ton-scale LNG hub terminal in Northeast Asia, which has been approved by Yeosu City, is also ahead. Hanyang aims to build the world’s largest commercial hub terminal by 2030 and achieve the world’s No. 1 LNG processing volume.

Kolon Global has established itself as a leader in the green energy wind power generation business for over 10 years. In the past three years, Kolon Global has carried out a project equivalent to 25% of the new licenses for onshore wind power generation in Korea. In the meantime, it has won orders for wind power generation facilities with a total power generation capacity of 123 ㎿, including 64.2 ㎿ of Taebaek Gadeoksan 1 and 2 complexes, 42 ㎿ of Yangyang Manwolsan and 16.8 ㎿ of Taebaek Hasami, and is currently pursuing 17 additional wind farm projects of 17 cases. In addition, it has advanced into a large-scale offshore wind power (400 ㎿) project in Wando with Korea Western Power and Jeonnam Development Corporation.

An official from the construction industry said, “As the government implements policies that focus on the Green New Deal, such as low-carbon and eco-friendly, the new and renewable energy business that construction companies are running will gain more momentum in the future.” “We are researching ways to achieve response, social responsibility, and profit creation at the same time.”

Meanwhile,’green remodeling’, which renovates and repairs old buildings to increase energy efficiency, such as insulation, is one of the pillars of new and renewable energy. The government is investing a total of 1.3 trillion won in this year’s Green New Deal to respond to changes in the industrial structure, such as the transition to an eco-friendly and low-carbon economy. This included remodeling 83,000 old public rental housing units and building 761 green smart schools.