KEPCO promotes sustainability through clean energy solutions
KEPCO built a power charging station at its headquarters building in Samseong-dong, Seoul last year in preparation for a new era of electric vehicles. The company recently established a power charging station at the Korea Electric Power Research Center in Daejeon as well as six more at expressway service centers (two each in Icheon, Eumseong, and Ochang). In particular, the six charging stations located near expressways are significant as they are the first such power charging stations in Korea.
KEPCO signed a MOU with Korea Expressway Co. to build the charging stations near expressways on December 27 2010. Both companies agreed to secure sites for the power charging stations and facility management. One charging station has a total of 12 chargers. High-speed chargers (50kw) need 25 minutes to fully charge an electric vehicle, while normal-speed ones take approximately six hours. Users are able to pay for the service with smart cards in real time.
Furthermore, KEPCO finished a test (164km in one direction) from its headquarters in Seoul to the Korea Electric Power Research Center in Daejeon via the Jungbu Expressway, successfully testing the operations of the power stations. This demonstration was meaningful as it proved the commercialization of electric vehicles is viable.
KEPCO is planning on establishing a power charging station management system that can monitor and control the operations of power rechargers in real time by the end of January. They will also improve recharging infrastructure and optimize recharging solutions by analyzing the distances between recharging stations as well as recharging patterns. “Our company will take the initiative in popularizing electric vehicles and green growth by obtaining optimized recharging solutions and technologies,” a KEPCO employee said.
KEPCO is taking the lead in implementing an electric vehicle charging infrastructure, essential for boosting the use of environment-friendly electric vehicles. KEPCO signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding the joint development of electric vehicles and chargers with Hyundai Motor in order to take the lead in standardizing charging infrastructure and has developed two types (rapid and slow) of prototype chargers.
In order to secure leadership in the green power market and lead low carbon green growth, KEPCO is developing eight green power technologies, including export-type nuclear reactors, a Smart Grid, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and an all-electric home. KEPCO will invest 3.4 trillion won in technology development and commercialization by 2020 in order to secure the world’s 25 finest green technologies and generate sales of 14 trillion won from green business by 2020.
KEPCO is also growing into a leader in Smart Grid technology. To secure Smart Grid technology at an early stage, KEPCO is participating in all five areas of the Jeju Island Test Bed Project (smart consumer, smart transportation, smart renewable, smart power grid and smart electricity service) and plans to lead the introduction of a nationwide Smart Grid.
With the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions during the power generation process, KEPCO in partnership with its affiliates and subsidiaries is jointly developing environment-friendly generation technologies such as IGCC and CCS and is further endeavoring to develop environment-friendly transmission and distribution equipment. In addition, KEPCO’s Environment Impact Assessment is being more strictly carried out during the selection of sites for power facilities. These efforts have enabled KEPCO to acquire ISO14001, an international standard for environment management systems, and the Environmental Declaration of Products (EDP) certification from the Ministry of Environment.