Korea Energy Show 2008 Promotes
Low-Carbon, Green Growth Era

171 exhibitors participate in the largest-ever show

The Korea Energy Show 2008 opened for a four-day run at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul on Sept. 29 to build up the infrastructure for low-carbon and green growth, being pushed by the Lee Myung-bak government.
This year marks the 28th exhibition since its establishment in 1975 and was the largest ever with 171 Korean and foreign exhibitors from 13 countries including the United States, Germany, Sweden, Austria and Japan. The exhibition has established itself as an international brand fair as foreign buyers from across the world got together.
True to the theme, the fair became the first "carbon neutral"one in Korea in which organizers purchased Korea Certified Emissions Reductions (KCERs) equivalent to the 160 tons of carbon dioxide expected to be emitted during the show.
The exhibition was composed of the new and renewable energy pavilion, the heat and electricity pavilion, the components and materials pavilion, the technology & public organization pavilion and the Gyeonggi-do pavilion.
It highlighted the latest high-efficient instruments and energy conservation technologies to lay the foundation for low-carbon emissions and green growth. In particular, some 50 percent of all booths were related to new and renewable energy resources, indicating a fierce competition among companies to dominate the industry in the future.
The exhibition coincided with such side events as seminars on new and renewable energy sources like solar, hydrogen & fuel cell, waste and bio-fuel that lasted from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.
Individual companies presented their cases for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, new and renewable energy resources, high-efficiency systems and new technologies during 47 seminars in four sectors. Ecoeye held a seminar on Sept. 29, followed by POSCO Power on Sept. 30, Siemens on Oct. 1 and LG Electronics and Kiturami Boiler on Oct. 2.
Lee Tae-yong, CEO of the Korea Energy Management Corp., said in his luncheon speech that there is mounting concern over green technologies,
and Korea's new paradigm for low-carbon, green growth is aimed at dominating the global market ahead of others.
Ahn Chul-shik, assistant minister of energy & resources at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, said, "The government on Sept. 27 unveiled the long-term national energy master plan calling for reducing the use of fossil fuels and raising the percentage of new and renewable energy resources."Korea's massive investments in nine sectors would raise its technology levels to those of advanced countries, he said. "The Korea Energy Show 2008 will be given a chance to enter the global market and it is up to you to make Korea an energy technology powerhouse,"he said.
Here's a look at some of the eye-catching energy-efficient and latest technologies displayed during the exhibition:
KOFIRST's RADIANT HEAT PANEL. KOFIRST, a Korean electric heater maker, unveiled a highly energy-efficient radiant heat panel using hot water. The high-efficiency radiant heat panel is installed precisely on the ceiling to preserve heat. The device is semi-permanent and does not cause moisture loss in the room, oxygen loss, dust, noise nor does it emit harmful gasses.
SHARP's SOLAR CELL. Sharp Korea Co., capitalizing on its more than 40 years of accumulated technology and reliability, has released a solar cell system, designed to be easily installed anywhere. It could last at least 20 years and be highly efficient in terms of maintenance due to its automation and unmanned operation.
WINERGY LAND's WIND POWER. Winergy Land has unveiled a vertical-axis and drum-type wind power system, designed to offset typical low-efficiency, high cost, maintenance-heavy systems currently available and provide long-term investment reimbursement. nw

(clockwise) Lee Tae-yong, CEO of the Korea Energy Management Corp.; Dignitaries, including Ahn Chul-shik, assistant minister of energy & resources at the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, and Lee Tae-yong, line up in a ceremony to open the Korea Energy Show 2008 at COEX. Attendees look around the exhibition pavilions of exhibitors.

ok around the exhibits.