UK expands wind power generation to cut carbon emission

[Anchor]

As the climate crisis becomes a reality, many countries are hastening their transition to renewable energy.

Notably, the UK is expanding its wind power generation to accelerate carbon reduction.

To what extent has this progressed? Our meteorology specialist, Kim Min-kyung, has the report.

[Report]

This is Aberdeen, a coastal city in northeastern England.

Five wind turbines are spinning 15 kilometers off the coast.

These are 'floating' turbines, which are mounted on structures that float like boats, allowing them to be installed in deeper waters, unlike 'fixed' turbines that are set up in shallower areas.

[Hugh Riddle/Regional Manager, Floating Offshore Wind Center: "Floating offshore wind can move into much greater water depths, and further from shore where there is actually a greater wind resource ."]

The UK generates about one-third of its required electricity from wind power, with the scale of subsidized offshore wind power increasing significantly.

Port cities that once transported coal are now transforming into centers for offshore wind power.

[Reuben Aitken/Managing Director, Scottish Development International: "The energy transition is happening in Scotland. We have a net zero target of 2045. And the whole economy is galvanized to operate the energy transition effectively."]

As a result, the share of renewable energy generation, which was similar to ours in the early 2000s, has increased to nearly 50% in just over 20 years.

Carbon emissions have significantly decreased, dropping to about half of South Korea's levels.

South Korea's renewable energy ratio stands at 9%, the lowest among OECD countries.

Although the country has pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by 2030, there are concerns that achieving this goal is difficult, especially in the energy sector, which accounts for half of the reduction target.

The international community is accelerating carbon reduction under the agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.

[Gillian Martin/Acting Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Scotland: "Increasinly countries are having to look at their energy security, as well as their net zero targets and their emissions."]

While the clock ticks the same towards 1.5 degrees Celsius globally, there is a clear temperature difference in the pace and effort to reduce carbon emissions.

This is Kim Min-kyung reporting from Aberdeen, Scotland for KBS News.