재생에너지 입지정책 도입의 의미와 과제

With reforming of the power market in 2001, competition was introduced in the power sector and private sector participation expanded, Financial calculations began to play a vital role in determining the location of power generation facilities. Renewable energy is also not an exception. As a number of renewable energy facilities increasingly claim for the use of well-protected farmlands and forests in order to minimize project costs and maximize profits, difficulties associated with siting increase due to local oppositions. Social concerns about adverse effects of renewable energy also increase. In response, the Korean government is attempting to introduce a new renewable energy policy to address the issue through mandatory assessment of environmental impact for small renewables as well as the siting policy scheme for large renewables. In this article, I examined the meaning of introducing such new siting policies for renewables and came up with policy options to consider in such efforts. The new policy efforts can be summarized as a move to secure the role of public sector in creating a soil for renewables by increasing their roles in planning stage. This consideration shall not be not limited to renewable energy. It rather requires careful policy design so that energy policies can be implemented in a balanced manner by creating levelling playing field for all energy sources.