▲ A Jeju Smart Grid exhibition. Photo by Kim Jinmi

[This article was written by a “junior journalist” and is published as an NIE (newspaper in education) resource for English education in schools.]

Nowadays, we burn more fossil fuels than ever before due to our high energy consumption. This is contributing to climate change due to increased Co2 emissions and many people are looking for solutions to this problem.

New and renewable energies are one such solution. New and renewable energies are different from fossil fuels like coal and oil, which are finite and not renewable. Renewable energy sources are infinite and don’t add such large amounts of Co2 into the atmosphere. New and renewable energies include solar, wind, geothermal heat, and wave energy.

Smart Grid technologies also help keep Co2 emissions down. The Smart Grid keeps people aware of their electricity use, improving communication between energy suppliers and consumers. In Jeju, there is a Smart Grid project center and testbed, supported by the Jeju government since 2013.

Jeju was chosen as a testbed because there is a lot of wind, so it is a great place for wind power and renewable energies connected to the Smart Grid. It is hoped that Jeju can be self-sufficient in electric energy in the future and people can be more aware of their energy consumption.

New and renewable energies are produced in power plants which are connected to the Smart Grid. The energy is turned into electricity and sent to homes. As people use the electricity, their electricity rates are available in real-time, so people monitor their consumption and costs. This electricity is used in buildings, homes, and also for recharging electric vehicles.

Electricity bills using the previous system are issued monthly, yet the Smart Grid charges consumers according to their exact usage in real time. Consumers are therefore encouraged to use less electricity and lower bills, which then leads to lower Co2 emissions.

* Vocabulary : 단어

1) fossil fuels : 화석 연료

2) consumption : 소비

3) climate change : 기후 변화

4) CO2 emissions : 이산화탄소 배출

5) new and renewable energies : 신재생 에너지

6) finite/infinite : 유한한/무한한

7) geothermal heat : 지열(햇볕을 받아 땅 표면에서 나는 열)

8) Smart Grid 스마트 그리드란, 기존의 전령망에 정보기술(IT)를 접목시킴으로써 소비자가 실시간으로 전력 소비를 알 수 있도록 하여 에너지 효율을 높이는 새로운 전력망

9) testbed : 시험대

10) self-sufficient : 자급 자족하는

11) the power plant : 전기 발전소

12) electricity rates : 전기 요금, 전기소비율

13) monitor : 관찰하다

14) real time : 실시간

* Key expressions : 주요한 표현들

1) Nowadays, we burn more fossil fuels than ever before : 요즘 우리는 전보다 더 많은 화석연료를 사용한다.

2) This is contributing to climate change : 이것이 기후변화를 일으키고 있다.

3) Consumers are therefore encouraged to use less electricity and lower bills : 그래서 [이것은] 소비자들이 낮은 비용과 전력을 적게 사용하도록 장려한다.

* Discussion topics : 토론 논제

1) How does the Smart Grid help reduce energy consumption?

어떻게 스마트 그리드가 에너지 소비를 줄이도록 할까요?

2) In what other ways can people reduce energy use in their homes?

집에서 에너지 소비를 줄일 수 있는 다른 방법은 무엇이 있을까요?

3) Why is climate change a problem for global society?