"Half of Energy Consumption... Dedicated Department for Thermal Energy Needed for Carbon Neutrality"

Carbon Neutrality Committee Holds Conference on Promoting the Use of Thermal Energy

Hanwha Jin, Co-Chair of the Presidential 2050 Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee, is delivering a congratulatory speech at the "Activation of Thermal Energy Use" conference held on June 12, 2025, at the main conference room of Post Tower in Seoul. Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee

There has been a suggestion that a dedicated government department is needed to establish policies for thermal energy in order to achieve carbon neutrality.

At the "Activation of Thermal Energy Use" conference held on June 12, 2025, at the main conference room of Post Tower in Seoul, Oh Sesin, a research fellow at the Korea Energy Economics Institute, explained the concept of thermal energy and domestic and international thermal energy policies in a presentation titled "The Importance of Thermal Energy and Policies for Carbon Neutrality." Oh Sesin proposed the establishment of a national roadmap for carbon neutrality in the thermal energy sector and the creation of a dedicated department for thermal energy policy.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), thermal energy accounts for half of the world’s final energy consumption and constitutes about 38% of greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector.

At the conference, Jung Jaedong, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sejong University, presented on "Domestic and International Technology Trends and Development Directions for Thermal Energy." He introduced the IEA's recommendation that the transition of thermal energy is a key factor for achieving 2050 carbon neutrality, and that a shift in thinking is needed to recognize the importance of transitioning not only electricity but also heat. Professor Jung described core technologies for this purpose, such as heat pump technology for buildings and industry, thermal energy storage (TES) technology, and innovative technologies for district heating and heat supply infrastructure.

Im Seungbin, Director of Demand Management at the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning, gave a presentation on "Current Status and Future Plans for Thermal Energy Research and Development," introducing the status of research and development in Korea in areas such as electrification, big data, and high efficiency related to thermal energy. He also announced plans to promote key projects, including optimization technology for thermal energy supply and circulation systems and the development of high-temperature steam heat pumps capable of reaching 180°C.

The panel discussion, moderated by Cho Hongjong, professor in the Department of Economics at Dankook University, featured participants such as Ha Yoonhee, professor at the Graduate School of Energy and Environment at Korea University; Kwon Pilseok, director of the Green Energy Strategy Research Institute; Baek Youngjin, head of the Energy Efficiency Research Division at the Korea Institute of Energy Research; and Jeong Hoon, head of the Future Industry Team at the National Assembly Futures Institute.

The Carbon Neutral Green Growth Committee stated that, based on the major policy recommendations derived from this conference, it plans to cooperate with relevant ministries to set carbon neutrality policy goals for the thermal energy sector and to establish an institutional foundation.