Seoul City’s shift to co-generation runs counter to green energy policy

On last July 19th, Seoul City put up an announcement of recruitment for the co-generation project in regard of City’s major policy, “Reduction of One Nuclear Power Plant”. The main idea of the project is to use all surplus gases being flared now in gas-engine generator for co-generation project. Therefore, a production of vehicle fuel from WWTP since August 12, 2008 is now on edge after 4 years of its production. The agreement for Biogas-to-Vehicle fuel project with a Swedish company, SBI, GBL and Bio Methane Seoul Co., Ltd in Seonam WWTP is also in the same situation due to the loss of consistency in City’s “Environment Energy” policy. It is worried that around 1,100 taxi drivers who modified their vehicles with cost of 5 million KRW to reduce of fuel cost, approximately 300~400 thousands KRW per month will have to face a huge damages.

AsiaN met a CEO of the project company, Bio Methane Seoul Co., Ltd, Kjell Enstrom, and interviewed regarding this matter. The interview was conducted in the main office of Bio Methane Seoul Co., Ltd in Seocho-Dong and in Seonam branch in Yangcheon-Ro, Gangseo-Gu where production of bio methane gas is done during one hour in English.

President Kjell Enstrom who is a Swedish, majored civil engineering in technical University of Borlange in Sweden and came to Korea on 2002 and is now focusing on environmentally friendly business for 11 years.

Q.1:
What problems occurred after Seoul City’s co-generation project started? and do you think this would happened in Sweden?

Answer:
This would never happen. Because in Stockholm and Sweden, save the environment and green energy is too important. 50% of energy in Sweden is green energy. But in Korea, it might be 4% or something.
Clean air and clean water are priority in Sweden. This has started 15 maybe 20 years ago. And in Korea, it’s starting now.

Q.2:
Could you tell me the problems that happened in the process of turning this petition in, in an order of importance?

Answer:
In terms of problem, as a Swedish it’s very hard for me to understand that it can’t keep the promise. We talked from beginning but they reduce the amount of gas that could take care of. And its true, save is a good idea to take care of the gas, and upgrade the gas to clean fuel we take care to go into this program even if we understand there’s no money.
What can I say to foreign investors. It’s not only for us, its for all other foreign investors in Seoul. We already can see some German company and even Swedish company that they go out from Korea.
Seoul is a big international city and they have possibility to increase tourist as we can already see today. It should be lead in green growth in Seoul.

Q.3:
If you were the public official, what would you do with this situation? If you had turned down the paper and then get petition.

Answer:
I should put us a meeting but me, and I should request some the information about the ??? in Stockholm, make a lift? to Stockholm, look at the biogas industries in Stockholm, look at the biogas apartment. It’s very interesting for the future. If we go to Stockholm, can breathing the air and we can drink the water in the river.
But this must start. It started 15 years ago.

Q.4:
If you meet the person in charge of this or the mayor, what would you say or recommend?

Answer:
What kind of plan do you have? What kind of plan for Korean energy for a clean fuel, for Korean children to grow up in good environment. I hope I can get all the questions about Sweden then I can explain. They should volunteer. There is no money for this but they can’t get the chance to show what they are doing in international level. Even in China, China should start taking care of bio stuff and producing biogas. Bangkok was a very dirty city 10 years ago. It is getting cleaner and cleaner. But they started. So Korea, it’s very hard to understand, one of the world most developed city.

Q.5:
Seoul has too much in debt already. Even though this is for a good purpose, we have to think about the monetary problem. If you know how to make profits out of this or if you have any idea to make it work, please tell me. Seoul mayor now who is in charge of, is very open-minded and revolutionary. So it would be great if you have any idea to convince the mayor.

Answer:
I think Seoul city need to realize they need action and the possibility for a green growth and clean fuel. If it is a no profit, profit is money in your hand then the profit can be healthy people and the profit can be the poor people get the cheap fuel for vehicle.

Q.6:
What makes you exciting these days?

Answer:
I am very excited to be in Korea. I have everything in Korea. I have the whole summer for a company in Sweden I don’t know how long summer will be. Here I know it’s six month summer in terms of temperature. Also, I have a wish when they talk about green growth in Korea. So I am investing my heart and my life in Korea. But still same level. Everything else has been growing but not green energy.

Q.7:
What have you thought when you were leaving your home this morning?

Answer:
I’m always have to go to work and to development. I can push to develope something but the moment when I am involved in sudokwon talking, I mean its almost finished I can have my life. Everytime I am driving, taking a bike, walking you can see the mountain. And in winter time I can go to skiing, I can go driving mountain, I can go to Maebong mountain before I go to work or after work near Oksudong.

Q.8:
Korean people and people who lives in Korea after fifty years would be appreciate you. Please keep it going with your working. Thank you.

Answer:
I hope I can live here and breath fresh air and drinking fresh water from Han river someday. Thank you.

news@theasian.asia