On 9th June 2010, Mr Ko Hak-Keun, Executive Vice Chairman and Mr Park Byung-Il, Director of the Korea Electrical Manufacturers Association (KOEMA) visited TEEAM. On hand to receive them were Ir Chew Shee Fuee (Vice President), Mr Suresh Kumar Gorasia (Past President), Engr Leong Kam Seng (Vice President), Mr Ho Khai Hong (Honorary Secretary), Mr Jack Soon Lee Hock (Assistant Honorary Secretary), Ir Chang Yew Cheong (Council Member) and Mr How Chee Seng (Committee Member). KOEMA and TEEAM have established collaboration and exchanged of trade information since 1994.
SIEF 2010, Korea
The KOEMA officials were here in Malaysia with a mission to promote SIEF 2010, the Seoul International Electric Fair. The fair was held from 7th to 9th September 2010 at Korea International Exhibition Centre. SIEF is the leading annual event in Korea for the power generation, transmission and distribution sectors. It attracted over 12,000 visitors and boasted over 200 exhibitors. Incentives in term of hotel accommodation were offered to TEEAM members to visit the fair.
Korea to Save Power through Smart Grid
Information on Korea Smart Grid was also highlighted by KOEMA. In November 2010, world leaders will gather in Seoul for the G20 Summit where the focus is on global smart grid. Korea has unveiled a plan to be the world’s first country to convert its electricity network into smart grids that will greatly contribute to energy conservation as well as the creation of jobs and new revenue. The high-tech nationwide electricity grid will generate a new market of 68 trillion won (about $54.5 billion) and create 500,000 new jobs annually, and reduce the country’s power consumption by 3 percent by the time it is completed in 2030.
A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital technology, enabling the devices to communicate with the utility firms which could save energy, reduce costs and increase reliability. A smart grid network will also give consumers more choices, for example, enabling them to pay different rates for different electricity usage.
The grid, to be set up by 2030, is part of Korea’s $103 billion initiative to increase its generation of green energy from the current 2.4 per cent of total power to 11 per cent in the next two decades. South Korea could lower its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 million tonnes annually with a national smart grid. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) plans to set up $65 million smart grid pilot project in Jeju Island. It would act as a test-bed for the nationwide initiative. The grid will incorporate two 10MW substation transformers and four power distribution lines located near an area with 3,000 households, commercial districts and power generation facilities to test smart grid technologies on real electricity networks.
Group photo – (from left) Engr Leong Kam Seng (TEEAM Vice President), Mr Park Byung-Il (KOEMA Director), Mr Ho Khai Hong (TEEAM Honorary Secretary), Mr Ko Hak-Keun (KOEMA Executive Vice Chairman), Ir Chew Shee Fuee (TEEAM Vice President), Mr Suresh Kumar Gorasia (TEEAM Past President), Mr How Chee Seng (TEEAM Committee Member) and Ir Chang Yew Cheong (TEEAM Council Member).