S. KOREA GOES SOLAR AND TIDAL

Though the story’s headline doesn’t say so, the tidal power facility is a bigger deal and more exciting to read about than the solar facility.

Work to begin on world’s biggest solar power plant; South Korea seeks cleaner energy
Choe Sang-Hun, May 10, 2007 (International Herald Tribune via Boston Globe)

WHO
South Korea

WHAT
Aiming to build up clean energy generation, South Korea announced a giant solar installation and a giant tidal energy installation.

WHEN
- The solar plant groundbreaking is May 10 and is scheduled to be completed in late 2008.
- The tidal energy plant was announced May 3 and is scheduled to be completed by 2014.

WHERE
- The solar plant is being built in Shinan, near the southwestern tip of South Korea.
- The tidal energy plant will be built in Inch, west of Seoul.

WHY
- South Korea intends to generate 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020; Presently it is at 2.28%.
- The solar plant, largest in the world, is $170 million, 20 megawatts capacity, 27,000 megawatt-hours/year= 6,000-7,000 homes, saves 20,000 tons of CO2=23,000 cars, 80 football fields, 109,000 panels.
- The tidal energy plant, largest in the world, will connect 4 islands w/4.8-mile (7.8-kilometer) barrier, dozens of turbines, $1.9 billion, 812 megawatt capacity,
tidal energy turbine
QUOTES
- Lee Gil Jae, president, plant operator Dongyang Engineering & Construction: “Electricity from a solar power plant costs seven times as much as electricity generated by nuclear or fossil-fuel power plants in South Korea.”