풍력발전에 대한 지역주민의 인식에 관한 연구

Abstract

South Korea is becoming a world leader in renewable energy technology. As a country that imports 98% of its energy, it has made a bet on renewable technology in its "Low Carbon/Green Growth" energy development policy. Jeju Island, famous for its seemingly endless supply of wind has become the centerpiece of wind energy development in Korea. In 2012, Jeju announced its "Carbon Free Island Jeju by 2030" To meet its goal by 2020, Jeju plans to install on-shore wind turbines 300MW, offshore turbines (1GW) and solar panels (30MW). There are currently eight onshore wind farms operating in Jeju producing 107MW of electricity. The research in this study focuses on the attitudes of people towards wind power on Jeju Island. The perceptions of the foreign residents can provide a unique insight into the discussion of attitudes towards wind power. Korea is a newcomer to the development of wind power and Jeju Island is the first place in Korea to provide power by the wind. As Jeju proudly states in its advertising and mottos, "To the world with green wind" and "The world comes to Jeju and Jeju goes to the world," the Jeju residents are concerned about their world image. The foreign residents can provide perspectives from their experiences in their home country to which the local residents might not have been exposed. The purpose of the study is to compare the attitudes of foreign and local residents of Jeju Island and see if there is a difference. The results are then compared to the literature. The comparison between the two groups using an independent samples t-test highlights the concerns of the Jeju Island people. On the whole, the Jeju Island people have more concerns about wind power than the foreign residents. The local residents have less general support, more concerns about the environmental effects of wind farms, more doubts about economic effects of wind farms, and less knowledge about wind farms in general. The results also show that Jeju residents express the desire for public control of wind farms, which could help improve support while bringing community benefits. Although large general support is found, it is recommended that the local residents' concerns be considered if Jeju is to meet its carbon free goal by 2030. Public participation can be encouraged though the promotion of knowledge about wind energy in general and about Jeju's wind energy plans.