Last March, GLWN was asked to be a part of the SWEET 2011 (Solar, Wind & Earth Energy Trade Fair) conference in Gwangju, South Korea. As the premiere renewable energy industry tradeshow in Korea, the event showcases 700 exhibitors and attracts more than 40,000 visitors from 20 countries. Seeking a credible trade organization to present an update on the U.S. wind industry, KOTRA, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, contacted GLWN's field services director, Dale Reckman. After a 23-hour flight, Reckman arrived in South Korea and received a firsthand look at the country's burgeoning government supported domestic wind industry.

While South Korea is not as mature in wind energy as the rest of the world (the country currently ranks 29th out of the 30 largest wind power capacity driven countries globally, with roughly 379 MW of production capacity at the end of 2010), the country is a virtual role model for the development of a national renewable energy standard policy.

In 2010, South Korea passed a government bill to increase the country's consumption of renewable energy and support solar and wind power to reduce its dependency on oil imports. It adopted a federal renewable electricity standard that will start in 2012 and will require companies to source 10% of their electricity from renewables by 2022. It has also taken steps to ensure that government support will continue in the long-term with a law requiring at least 2% of its GDP be spent on clean energy research and development. What an impressive turnaround for a country that as recently as 2009 invested a total of $20 million in its renewable energy initiatives!

As the key representative for the U.S. wind industry, GLWN's mission at SWEET 2011 was threefold:

1. To cultivate and establish relationships with South Korean OEMs, officials, manufacturers and developers;

2. To better enable GLWN members to eventually interact and work with these OEMs when they make landfall on North American soil; and

3. To gain better understanding of the global price points associated with the South Korean markets.

It is our belief that South Korea -- as it has in the auto industry -- will soon become a driving force and a significant player in the North American wind industry. What is fast becoming a global marketplace, our domestic wind market is going to be interlaced with European, Asian and other OEMs, all seeking a foothold within our boundaries. This bodes well for the domestic supply chain, but ONLY if suppliers completely understand the intricacies of working with foreign-based OEMs. From lean manufacturing to simple business etiquette, modes of business must be fully comprehended to succeed in this fast-approaching global marketplace.

It has always been (and continues to be) GLWN's mission to support both North American and foreign-based OEMs through the domestic supply chain, and this position can only have a positive impact on our future business.

The presentation made to the many attendees at SWEET 2011 was very well received, and garnered more comments and feedback than any other presentation at the show. This demonstrates the world's interest in setting up shop on American soil, and the desire of these developers and OEMs to learn more about the North American marketplace, the supply chain, where the marketplace has been and where it's headed.

Foreign OEMs are very focused on this market because they've learned that North America has some of the best resources for wind power generation on the planet. And realizing that the Midwest is known as the "Saudi Arabia of wind" only intensifies the appeal for these potential business partners.

For now, GLWN will continue to strengthen relationships with key players in South Korea. We've been formally asked to return in the Fall to present at the Green Hub Korea trade fair in Seoul, an international exhibition hosted by the Korean government that was developed to share advanced technologies and business opportunities related to renewable energy.

The Korean government has proclaimed renewable energy as one of the country's new driving forces, and it is our belief that this backing and support will make the country a major player in the not-so-distant future. That said, GLWN will continue to maintain a presence at the forefront of Korea's renewable energy growth to ensure that the impending needs of its developers and OEMs are appropriately matched with what our American manufacturers can supply.