Just north and west of Seoul, South Korea, a company called Foster and Partners has won the right to develop a green master plan community on the islands of KangHwa and OnJin-gun. The sustainable master plan is supposed to be an extension of the Incheon Free Economic Zone.
One of the islands, KangHwa, will be used as a developmental center creating solar panels and wind turbines. The buildings in this center will use biomass energy, hydrogen fuel cells and even have hydroponic roofs.
The other island, OnJin-gun, will become a sustainable resort surrounded by agricultural landscape. Light rail will be used along with smaller roads and pedestrian avenues. The two islands are to be connected with the world’s longest bridge.
Now, within the past 2 years South Korean companies have unveiled their newest hydrogen cars, the Hyundai i-Blue and the Kia Borrego FCEV which one can imagine providing transportation to and from this green master plan community along with the light rail.
The 180 square mile community is expected to balloon in population from 35,000 now to 320,000 residents in the next 10 to 15 years as this master plan is phased in. By that time, there may be many more hydrogen cars on the roads not only around the master community and Seoul but through the entire country as well.