OMNI Features｜Opposition to Wando Geumil Offshore Wind Project by Local Fishermen．Four firms launch study for e-methane exports from Australia to Japan．Ramboll Acquires K2 Management to Strengthen Global Wind Capabilities

(Source: kwangju.co.kr｜photo provided by Wando Geumil Offshore Wind Power Opposition Committee)

｜Opposition to Wando Geumil Offshore Wind Project by Local Fishermen
On September 3, local fishermen staged a large-scale maritime protest in the Wando sea area against the "Wando Geumil Offshore Wind Power Project" as construction began. The project, with a capacity of 600 MW and connected to the Wando Substation, is a major development by KEPCO's subsidiary, Korea Southeast Power. It involves installing 40 offshore wind turbines, each with a 15 MW capacity, in the southern sea of Geumil, Wando County, with a total investment of 3.2 trillion KRW.

Concerned about the potential impact on their livelihoods, local fishermen formed an opposition committee and demanded compensation. Over 130 fishermen, operating 91 fishing boats, protested near the wind farm's port and displayed banners opposing the project. Residents claim the project, scheduled to commence in July next year, will deplete fishery resources, damage aquaculture, and cause environmental pollution. The opposition committee asserts that the project will devastate local fisheries and threaten the livelihoods dependent on them for decades.

｜Four firms launch study for e-methane exports from Australia to Japan
Japan's Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Toho Gas, and Australia's Santos have signed an agreement to conduct a pre-front end engineering and design (pre-FEED) study to produce e-methane in Australia and ship it via Santos-operated LNG terminals to Japan. This project builds on a collaboration started in November 2023 between Santos and Tokyo Gas, focusing on e-methane production in the Cooper Basin.

The project aims to export over 130,000 tons of e-methane annually, starting as early as 2030. The e-methane, produced by combining green hydrogen with CO2 captured from industrial emissions, will be from Moomba in the Cooper Basin via existing pipelines to the Santos-operated Darwin LNG export plant and the Gladstone LNG plant before being shipped to Japan. Both Tokyo Gas and Osaka Gas have secured subsidies from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) for this initiative.

｜Ramboll Acquires K2 Management to Strengthen Global Wind Capabilities
Ramboll has acquired K2 Management (K2M), a global consultancy specializing in wind and solar energy, enhancing its strategic advisory and project development capabilities. This acquisition adds nearly 200 experts to Ramboll’s Wind division, now comprising over 900 professionals across 20 countries, including new offices in Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, and Portugal. The expansion aligns with Ramboll’s goal of growing its global wind business to over 1,000 experts by 2025, responding to the increasing demand in the wind energy market.

Lars K. Hammershøj, one of the founders of K2 Management, stated: "With offices on five continents, K2 Management already operates a cross-border approach to cater to the global need for high-end advisory to developers, lenders and investors in green energy. By joining Ramboll, we will deliver more innovative, holistic, and sustainable solutions."

Reference: kwangju.co.kr｜LNGPrime｜Ramboll