“The energy transition needs to be used as an opportunity for a transformation of the AI industry to become an innovative industry.”

Kim Seon-gyo, a research fellow at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP), made these remarks during a recent National Assembly debate on the topic of the electric power industry and market preparation in the AI era.

As generative AI technology spreads, big tech companies are preemptively pushing to expand AI data centers, but the surrounding infrastructure that accommodates them is still growing slowly, causing AI bottlenecks. In particular, the power industry is accelerating its preparation for the future AI era due to concerns that the slower the power industry’s response will be, the more negatively it will affect the development of the AI industry.

Accordingly, discussions on expanding the power grid are heating up in Korea as well. At the National Assembly debate held at the National Assembly Members’ Hall in Yeouido on the 29th, he pointed out the limits of domestic decarbonization and appealed for digitalization and policy promotion for innovation in power infrastructure.

“Korea has dirty, cheap energy costs that are a rip-off,” said Researcher Kim, pointing out the country’s eco-friendly energy ecosystem and the urgent need to discuss the power and decarbonization infrastructure for the new SK Hynix Yongin fab.

The semiconductor industry, which must achieve Scope 2 according to the GHG protocol, needs to reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from energy use. Accordingly, global competitiveness can be secured when the power infrastructure that serves as the basis for the newly built Yongin semiconductor cluster is supplied with eco-friendly and green energy.

Lee Bo-ram, managing director of Samsung Electronics DS Sustainability Management Office, who attended the discussion that day, said, “The domestic non-carbon energy procurement environment, including renewable energy, hydrogen, and other energies, is somewhat inferior to that of competing countries in terms of cost and quantity,” and suggested, “I hope that you consider incorporating various technologies into clean energy production.”

Researcher Kim, who also advocates the acceleration of energy transition and the leap forward of the electric power industry using AI as an opportunity, argued that there is a need to accelerate digitalization through data opening in the electric power market.

Meanwhile, according to NVIDIA, as part of the smart grid construction outlook, “utilities around the world are deploying smart meters that use AI to manage the vast networks of power grids that connect large power plants, substations, and now homes,” it said. “Smart meters can send signals by combining software, sensors, and accelerated computing.”