The government is seeking policy ideas that treat water and energy as a single system, aiming to improve efficiency by linking areas that have been managed separately.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said Saturday it will run a nationwide “Water-Energy Convergence” idea contest from May 4 to 31.
In this context, “water-energy convergence” refers to a cooperation platform that integrates the water and energy sectors into one circular system and applies it jointly in policy and projects. One example cited is an alert service that provides real-time integrated information by combining the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) remote-metering networks previously operated separately by Korea Electric Power Corp. and Korea Water Resources Corp.
Water underpins energy production, including power generation, cooling and hydrogen production, while energy is essential across the full water cycle, from intake and purification to transport and treatment. Because the two sectors depend on each other, calls for integrated management have persisted.
The contest is designed to go beyond technical proposals and focus on policy ideas the public can feel. It will accept entries in two categories: policy proposals for young people and practical, everyday saving measures open to all.
After preliminary screening, a public vote and final evaluation, the government plans to select six winners. Prizes, including minister’s awards, will total 7 million won.
The contest also follows steps to formalize integrated water-energy policy. In February, the ministry launched a Water-Energy Convergence Forum involving 12 public institutions to build a basis for policy cooperation. The ministry said it plans to link policies, technologies and resources across the two fields to establish an integrated management system.
“The key task is to merge water and energy policies into one to improve convenience in people’s daily lives,” said Kim Ji-young, the ministry’s director general for water-use policy. “We will reflect ideas found through the contest in policy.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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