▲ Photo by Global Jeju Times team

[This article is written by a JDC Junior Journalist. The JDC Junior Journalist program is an educational project sponsored by Jeju Free International City Development Corporation (JDC). JDC Junior Journalist articles are only briefly edited by mentors before publishing.]

The smart grid is an energy system. It helps people use their renewable energy more efficiently. The smart grid homepage defines it as a, “next-generation network that integrates information technology (Smart) into the existing power grid (Grid) to optimize energy efficiency through a two-way exchange of electricity information between suppliers and consumers in real time.”

The smart grid system on Jeju runs on five domains: places, transportation, renewable, power grid, and the smart electricity market. These domains can be experienced at the smart grid experience hall in Gujwa-eup.

At the experience hall visitors can experience how their daily lives would be like if the existing energy grid became smart. The experience hall is divided into 5 big parts, the smart grid, green energy, electric cars, and smart homes.

A tour guide at the experience hall said, "We currently have two wind turbines in the ocean that each have a energy capacity of 2 megawatts and 3 Magawatts. To feel how big a megawatt is, a megawatt is about 1000 kilowatts and a 4-person household uses about 3~5 kilowatts a day.”
The guide continued, “Before, it was hard to figure out how much energy was being wasted. But with the smart grid in effect, people will be able to figure out how much energy is being wasted and how to conserve it (in real-time.)”

With implementation of the smart grid, the era of the fossil fuels is over. Now it is time for fuel cells, wind power, Hydrogen, Bio, and Waste energy to fulfill our daily energy needs. Once the grid opens to the public it will mark a turning point for mankind’s energy needs and the enviornment.