South Korea's Mega Projects: Where Are the Renewable Energy Advocates?

South Korea is grappling with a substantial new electricity demand of 24.7 gigawatts (GW) for its ambitious "mega projects." This demand, equivalent to a quarter of the nation's peak summer load, was not included in previous power supply plans, presenting a significant challenge. The urgency to address this energy gap has quickly brought nuclear power to the forefront, with proponents emphasizing its role as a stable baseload power source. Experts, many associated with the "Professors' Association for Rational Energy Policy" which opposed the previous administration's nuclear phase-out, are advocating for increased nuclear capacity. This push is supported by conservative think tanks and several media outlets, with one prominent economic newspaper even using the phrase "Drill, Baby, Drill" to urge nuclear expansion.

Natural gas is also being presented as a key solution, particularly as a flexible power source to balance the intermittency of other energy types. The Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy has publicly stated that all energy sources, including LNG, will be mobilized. Some discussions have even extended to keeping coal-fired power plants on standby and reconsidering the nation's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) under the Paris Agreement. Amidst these strong endorsements for nuclear and gas, the voice for renewable energy sources appears notably subdued.

The article highlights a stark contrast: while nuclear and gas are actively championed by a coalition of businesses, academics, political parties, think tanks, and media, the call for expanding renewable energy is largely confined to environmental groups and a few progressive media outlets. The author questions the absence of a unified "spokesperson" for renewables. An official from an institution dedicated to supporting renewable energy explained that the sector is fragmented. Solar and wind power, though both renewable, have different technologies, stakeholders, and participant characteristics. Furthermore, integrating renewables often requires complementary technologies like Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), each with its own distinct academic fields, industries, and business models. This inherent fragmentation makes it difficult for the renewable energy sector to present a united front and advocate effectively for its expansion, especially in the context of large-scale national projects.

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Solar and wind are grouped as renewable energy, but in reality, their technologies, interests, and participant characteristics are entirely different. It's as awkward as grouping nuclear and coal power because they both use steam to turn turbines.