GS EPS, GS Group's subsidiary in electric power generation, has completed Asia's largest biomass power plant in Dangjin on September 11.
GS EPS held an opening ceremony for its 105-megawatt renewable energy power plant in Dangjin's Bugok industrial zone, South Chungcheong Province, with GS Group chairman Huh Chang-soo and GS Caltex chairman Huh Dong-soo in attendance. It cost the utility company 300 billion won to build it since groundbreaking in May 2013.
Biomass refers to organic materials such as agricultural and fishery byproducts, including sawdust, seaweed, sugarcane, tree bark, straw, that can produce electricity and energy through fermentation or burning. Currently there are four biomass power plants in Korea including ones run by Korea East-West Power, Korea Midland Power, Jeonju Paper, and GS EPS. But this is the first time for a biomass plant with a capacity more than 100 megawatts.
The Dangjin biomass power plant will use mostly palm kernel shell as fuel. The plant will burn the shell fractions left after the nut has been removed after crushing in palm oil mills in a specially designed boiler and turn the turbine with steam generate from the heat. It is expected that the renewable power plant will emit a much less amount of greenhouse gases than coal-fire power plants and liquefied natural gas power plants. A GS Group official said, "We will export about 400,000 tons of palm kernel shell from Southeast Asia a year to run the power plant."
