South Korea’s Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups has entered into a significant partnership with Germany in the field of direct current (DC) technology. The two countries recently joined forces for the “Korea-Germany Energy New Industry International Joint R&D Roundtable” event, held at Kiel University in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. This collaboration represents a major advancement in promoting international cooperation within the rapidly expanding DC industry, with a specific focus on advancing eco-friendly energy and providing support to related companies.
The Jeonnam DC Industry Global Innovation Zone, established to lead the growing DC market, aims to facilitate the transition to eco-friendly energy sources such as solar and wind power. These sources generate energy in DC form, which can be transmitted to consumers without the energy loss associated with alternating current (AC) conversion processes.
In order to enhance global capabilities through international empirical research, the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups is providing support for an international joint R&D project valued at 6.4 billion won (approximately $4.7 million). This research will be conducted by companies within the Jeonnam DC Industry Global Innovation Zone. The recent roundtable event brought together these companies and German researchers to discuss research methodologies, roles, and cooperation requirements.
In a strategic move, the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups and Jeonnam have identified Fraunhofer ISIT in Germany as the ideal partner for collaboration. Known for its expertise in power semiconductors and DC conversion technology, Fraunhofer ISIT is poised to play a pivotal role in this international initiative. At the event, Jeonnam, the Green Energy Research Institute, and Fraunhofer ISIT signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on research and development, technology transfer, knowledge exchange, and the demonstration and data collection of DC power equipment.
Lim Jung-wook, Director General of the Startup and Venture Innovation Office at the Ministry of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Startups, underscored the significance of this collaboration. He emphasized that the technological cooperation between South Korea and Germany for DC conversion in response to climate change holds great importance. Lim also highlighted the crucial role that startups play in driving innovation in climate technology, stating that the exchange and cooperation of startups in the climate technology field between South Korea and Germany will receive full support.
The establishment of the Jeonnam DC Industry Global Innovation Zone and the subsequent international collaborations demonstrate South Korea’s commitment to addressing global climate change concerns. By harnessing renewable energy technologies and fostering innovation through small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, South Korea is positioning itself as a leader in eco-friendly energy solutions.
This partnership between South Korea and Germany holds great promise for the future of DC technology and serves as an outstanding example of international collaboration aimed at addressing the pressing issue of climate change.
Author: Jung Min-hee
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