Once carbon neutrality is fully implemented, electricity demand is expected to increase by 2.5 to 3.3 times the current level. Supplying this electricity cleanly and safely will require enormous costs, which may be difficult for private companies to bear alone. Ultimately, the role of public enterprises becomes crucial. Several public energy corporations are already fulfilling this role; it would be highly desirable if K-water joins them, bringing significant benefits to the public.

There are two aspects. First, new dam projects are likely to be limited. Therefore, existing resources and infrastructure should be reorganized around water energy. Second, institutional and policy support at the central government level is necessary. The share of renewable energy has recently been increasing in public institution performance evaluations. As the organization responsible for managing national water resources, K-water has strong potential to receive positive evaluations as it can simultaneously contribute to carbon neutrality and stable energy supply.

It is certainly possible, with Shinan and Haenam as representative examples. As a county consisting of numerous islands, Shinan shares profits from solar and wind power generation with residents, which has led to population inflow. The expectation of higher income and improved quality of life contributes to population growth and revitalization of the local economy. Haenam is achieving similar outcomes based on solar energy. Multipurpose dams can serve as infrastructure that not only provides water and flood control but also generates energy and shares benefits with local communities. Just as Shinan and Haenam created growth opportunities based on sunlight, regions with dams can achieve new growth based on water.

Conventional solar and wind power can impose a burden on forests or farmland depending on the location, and they are sometimes criticized for cutting down trees, which serve as carbon sinks. In contrast, floating solar uses the surface of multipurpose dams, thereby minimizing environmental damage. It is also efficient in terms of land use in a country with limited territory like Korea. As a highly desirable renewable energy model, it provides clean and stable electricity while sharing profits with local communities.

Yes. K-water has strengths not only in floating solar but also in various water energy fields such as tidal and water thermal energy.
The Sihwa Tidal Power Plant can serve as an effective means of supporting RE100 initiatives by companies such as Samsung Electronics, and expansion of its supply capacity is currently under review. If necessary, tidal power in the Saemangeum area could also be promoted in cooperation with related organizations. Water thermal energy is a resource unique to K-water. It can play a key role in the climate tech era—particularly in applications such as data center cooling—by using water temperatures in dams and rivers.

If the New and Renewable Energy Act is amended to grant REC (Renewable Energy Certificate) weighting to water thermal energy, project feasibility would improve significantly, and the entire water thermal industry would be revitalized.

Yes. Water energy is a key resource for producing clean electricity, and it will become an essential component of the future energy mix. Especially at a time when security is critical, water has the advantage of being a domestically producible energy resource. K-water, integrating hydropower, floating solar, tidal power, and water thermal energy, may eventually come to be known as a “Water Resources Energy Corporation,” reflecting the growing importance of water energy.

Until now, K-water has faithfully served its primary role of supplying water reliably. It should actively expand water energy, going forward. In the case of tidal power, Korea has many reclaimed lands, offering significant expansion potential. The significance would be even greater if the localization of core technologies and equipment such as power generation facilities and turbines can be achieved. K-water should also play a role in expanding pumped-storage hydropower using existing dam infrastructure, as it is an effective means of addressing the variability of renewable energy. Through this, it can make substantial contributions to the overall national energy system.

This is a time when domestically produced energy is more important than ever. K-water is a “patriotic enterprise” capable of generating energy from domestic water resources without relying on overseas sources. I hope it will further expand this capability and its business scope to make even greater contributions to the nation and its people.