Hyundai Motor Group is pushing to introduce the largest-scale geothermal energy system in South Korea at its Global Business Complex (GBC) in Samsung-dong, Seoul. Geothermal energy is an eco-friendly energy source that utilizes the thermal energy contained in river water or raw tap water for building heating and cooling. As plans for the GBC development become more concrete, the transition to eco-friendly energy in large-scale buildings in the Seoul Gangnam area is also expected to accelerate.
According to industry sources on Wednesday, Hyundai Engineering & Construction and the Korea Water Resources Corporation plan to sign an implementation agreement to supply a geothermal energy system with a capacity of 7,500 RT (refrigeration tons) to the Hyundai Motor Group's GBC. The two parties are currently coordinating the schedule for this.
RT is a unit indicating the capacity of heating and cooling equipment. Converting 7,500 RT into cooling capacity equates to approximately 7,500 small household air conditioners (based on 3.5 kW). Given that the GBC will generate large-scale heating and cooling demand, the group judges that geothermal energy is suitable for reducing equipment burden while improving energy efficiency.
In fact, geothermal energy has the advantage of improving energy efficiency compared to existing heating and cooling systems and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is because it utilizes relatively cold water in summer to dissipate heat from buildings, and extracts heat from water in winter for heating purposes.
Previously, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Water Resources Corporation announced in December last year the introduction of a 7,000 RT geothermal energy system at the Korea Trade Center. This system began operation in April this year. At that time, the government also disclosed future plans to expand supply to the Hyundai Motor GBC and the Yeongdong-daero Grand Express Train (GTX) complex transfer center, among others. However, it did not disclose the specific scale of the supply to the GBC.
As the introduction of geothermal energy at the GBC becomes tangible, it is expected to bolster the government's efforts to expand the supply chain in the southeastern part of Seoul. In particular, it is seen as an opportunity to spread the adoption of eco-friendly heating and cooling systems centered on large-scale buildings.
in INDUSTRY
