This article examines how the development and utilization of alternative energy can play a crucial role in addressing resource depletion issues, emphasizing its necessity for a sustainable future.
South Korea is classified as a water-scarce nation, ranking 129th out of 153 countries globally. This classification is based on its per capita available water resources, calculated as the annual runoff (excluding losses like evapotranspiration) divided by its population, amounting to 1,453 cubic meters. While Korean government agencies and media consistently emphasize the need for water conservation, Koreans still often fail to properly turn off bathroom faucets. Koreans leave water running while washing dishes and take long showers. Observing this behavior, it seems Koreans do not seriously perceive that water is scarce and increasingly depleted.
Water scarcity is a serious problem not only in our country but globally. According to the United Nations, approximately 40% of the world’s population currently faces water scarcity, and this number continues to rise. The water shortage problem is becoming more severe not only due to a quantitative lack of water but also because of the increasing amount of water rendered unusable by pollution. Solving these problems requires not only individual effort but also systematic management at the government level and international cooperation.
This issue of resource depletion is not limited to water resources. Fossil fuels are also rapidly depleting worldwide. Even in resource-scarce South Korea, the 10-day driving ban implemented to reduce oil consumption is barely observed. Meanwhile, electricity, stored at great resource cost, is becoming scarce due to excessive household power usage. While resource scarcity causes numerous problems worldwide, we accelerate resource depletion by consuming more resources without fully recognizing their dwindling nature. Therefore, alternative energy sources are urgently needed to prepare for future energy shortages.
So, what types of alternative energy exist? In Korea, under the ‘Act on the Development, Utilization, and Promotion of Alternative Energy,’ energy sources other than petroleum, coal, nuclear power, and natural gas include solar energy, bioenergy, wind power, small-scale hydropower, fuel cells, energy from liquefied or gasified coal, energy from gasified heavy residual oil (the final residue left after refining crude oil), ocean energy, waste energy, geothermal energy, hydrogen energy, and other energy sources designated by Presidential Decree (such as fluidized fuels mixed with coal-derived substances). The concept of such alternative energy is similar in other countries.
These numerous alternative energy sources are significantly influenced by regional environmental characteristics. For example, tidal power generation is highly efficient and can produce large amounts of electricity in seas with significant tidal ranges. Places like the planned Incheon Bay tidal power plant in the West Sea of Korea and the Rance tidal power plant in France can produce substantial amounts of energy, but installing such facilities is difficult in seas without significant tidal ranges. Furthermore, most power generation facilities using alternative energy have very low energy efficiency, high construction costs, and are at an early stage of technological development. Consequently, they do not yet account for a significant proportion of domestic electricity consumption.
Technological development is essential to enhance the efficiency of alternative energy. Significant research has been conducted in recent years, with solar and wind power technologies advancing considerably. For instance, in solar power generation, research is underway to greatly increase efficiency by using a new material called perovskite instead of conventional silicon-based solar panels. This material is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, and its commercialization is expected to bring significant change. Research is also actively underway in wind power generation to develop small turbines alongside existing large ones, enabling their use in urban areas or small-scale regions.
Although many limitations remain, alternative energy is emerging as a solution to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels in power generation and address resource depletion issues. For example, France’s Rance Tidal Power Station, the world’s first tidal power plant, is still operational today, producing 500 million kWh of electricity annually to supply the Rance region. Additionally, in South Korea, alternative energy is being used in various aspects of daily life to replace fossil fuels. Wind farms have been installed on windy Jeju Island and Daegwallyeong Pass to generate electricity, and technology utilizing solar energy to supply power from ordinary households to satellites has also been developed and is in use. Bioenergy utilizes the fatty and sugar components of plants as fuel. In fact, one oil refiner announced plans to commercialize bio-butanol, made using sugars from sugarcane, waste wood, rice straw, and seaweed, within this year to replace gasoline.
The importance of alternative energy is also emphasized from an environmental protection perspective. The use of fossil fuels increases greenhouse gas emissions, accelerating global warming. This melts polar ice caps, leading to rising sea levels and causing climate change. Increasing the use of alternative energy will greatly help mitigate these environmental problems. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric power are environmentally friendly because they emit almost no greenhouse gases during operation, making them crucial choices for a sustainable future.
The energy of the future for our next generation must possess “environmental friendliness, economic viability, and supply security.” Globally, efforts to develop and commercialize these energies are intensifying, but much time and investment are still needed. Therefore, government-level investment and voluntary corporate participation in technological development are essential to fund the necessary research. Simultaneously, the general public must also participate in energy conservation and efficient use to contribute to solving resource depletion issues. Everyone must work together for a sustainable future.
