Jeju is discovering that wind power isn't a breeze

A rendering of a floating offshore wind farm being promoted by Ulsan City [ULSAN METROPOLITAN CITY]

Offshore wind farms are being touted as the next wave in renewable energy — but they're facing resistance from local residents, fisherman and even the Defense Ministry.

On Jeju Island, the world's largest offshore wind farm is being planned.

According to the Jeju provincial government on Wednesday, Norway-based oil and gas producer Equinor South Korea and special purpose company Chujin are investing a total of 18 trillion won ($12.9 billion) to operate wind power generation projects off the Chujado Islands, about 45 kilometers from Jeju Island and administrated by Jeju.

The two companies plan to build offshore wind power generation facilities in two locations, west and east of Chujado Islands, with a total capacity of 3,000 megawatts, enough to supply electricity to about 3 million households. This is more than 28.5 times the amount of electricity generated from the Handong and Pyeongdae offshore wind farm in Gujwa-eup, which have a 105-megawatt capacity.

Equinor South Korea is planning to complete a 1,500 megawatt plant by 2026 and operate it from 2027 to 2052. Chujin aims to complete the facility by 2027 in waters three to 25 kilometers east of Chujado Islands and run it from 2028 to 2053.

But local residents opposed to that project say the planned turbines are 260 meters high, taller than the 63 Square skyscraper in Seoul.

“If 360 are built in the sea, 400 million square meters of maritime territory around the Chujado Islands will disappear,” the residents argue.

In the southeastern city of Ulsan, a 9,000-metawatt floating wind farm is being planned off the coast by 2030. Floating wind plants can generate electricity relatively far offshore.

An association of fishermen opposing that project claims the planned site “was selected through Korea National Oil Corporation's unilateral decision without consideration of fishing activities."

“We demand a review from scratch with the participation of fishermen,” it says.

The city of Boryeong in South Chungcheong is also embroiled in controversy over construction of an offshore wind plant in the sea of Ocheon-myeon by 2025 with an investment of 6 trillion won.

In this case, the Ministry of National Defense and the Agency for Defense Development are opposing the plan, claiming it can obstruct missile launch training at the Anheung test site in Taean County and the operation of marine radar.

Oeyeondo Island, the candidate site, is more than 50 kilometers away from the Anheung test site. But a larger area has been designated as a training zone for land, sea, and air forces. Guided weapons and ammunition are developed there and missiles are tested. It also operates radar for maritime alert purposes.

Most of the sites where wind power plants are planned are known to be rich fishing grounds — with strong winds and relatively shallow depths.

Out of 65 plants licensed for power generation, 61 overlap with fishery activity protection zones designated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, according to the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives.

“Offshore wind energy is sustainable and thus proposed as an alternative to noise and electromagnetic damage on the ground [caused by power generation],” says Moon Il-ju, a professor at College Of Ocean Science at Jeju National University. "But it also faces challenges from fishermen.

"The state should put more effort into mediating and resolving the conflicts," Moon added.

BY CHOI CHOONG-IL, SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]