Whoever said sustainable energy can't be fun obviously hasn't been to Grand Park in Seoul, South Korea.
The 30-year-old park was just given a massive green makeover this January. Seoul had held an international competition to transform the archetypal city park into a sustainable wonderland replete with lush gardens, animal habitats and wild roller coasters.
The engineering firm AECOM won the contest with their proposal: "Gaia: The Living World."
"'The Living World' aspires to be a place of excitement, reflection and education, where the lines between zoo and theme park disappear in a celebration of ecosystems, culture and history," according to Joe Brown, chief executive of Planning, Design + Development at AECOM.
AECOM incorporated a whole systems approach and a closed-loop resource plan to ensure that the land's natural capital was being used as efficiently as possible.
To that effect, the firm has pledged to capture and reuse every drop of water possible. They've also been converting animal waste into biogas to fuel many of the park's attractions.
The park took a step further this week by unveiling its Online Electric Vehicle (OLEV) rail system that runs on power from cables beneath the road. As the OLEV travels around the tracks, it channels power from magnetic strips a few inches below the road's surface.
This brand of no-contact charging, called inductive charging, is important for a number of reasons: The OLEV charges constantly, whether it's running or not. This allows the vehicle to be outfitted with a battery 1/5th the size of a typically cumbersome electric vehicle battery. It also eliminates the need for large charging stations and the lengthy charging times that accompany them.
Inductive charging technology isn't new. You've had first-hand experience with it if you've ever owned an electric razor or toothbrush that rests on a charging cradle.
The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KASIT) developed the OLEV technology at Grand Park. In the coming years they hope to expand it to buses and roads throughout metropolitan South Korea.
The projected cost of installing the system is about 400 million won ($353,500) for every kilometer of road.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is supportive of the project, having pushed for its introduction at the park since last August. They've made improving air quality a priority, which aligns nicely with OLEVs since the system emits no carbon dioxide.
KASIT estimated that if just half of South Korea's vehicles were converted to the OLEV system, they could cut crude oil imports by $3 billion a year.
While such broad implementation is hardly a walk in the park, each step taken — such as Grand Park's no-contact rail system — is a step in the right direction.
Be Well,
Jimmy
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