By 2030 South Korea plans to increase solar power by 5 times

By Sophie Chapman
On 20 December, South Korea announced its plans to increase its solar power generation by five times as much by the year 2030.

On 20 December, South Korea announced its plans to increase its solar power generation by five times as much by the year 2030.

In a bid to diversify the nation’s energy mix, President Moon Jae-in has been trying to reduce South Korea’s reliance on nuclear power since his election in May this year.

The country is the fifth largest nuclear energy user, according to Reuters, and uses 24 nuclear reactors to generate approximately a third of its energy needs.

The government has recently been working on plans to build six new rectors that work with eco-friendly sources.

“We will fundamentally change the way renewable energy is developed by creating an environment where the public can easily participate in the renewable energy business,” reported Paik Un-gyu, Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy.

SEE ALSO:

The country’s new target will see them provided a fifth, or 20%, of total consumed energy from renewable energy in the next 13 years, up from 7% in 2016.

To reach the goal the country is to add an additional 30.8GW of solar capacity and 16.5GW of wind capacity.

Currently, South Korea has 5.7GW of solar power capacity and 1.2GW of wind.

As well as developing large-scale projects, South Korea also plans to convert households, farms, and small businesses to renewable energy.

Share

Featured Articles

Who is Greg Joiner, the new Head of Shell Energy?

Joiner will be formally be appointed as Shell Energy’s EVP on 1 April following a reshuffle of the division's top team

Watershed Workshop at Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero

Hosted on Day 1 of Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero, Watershed’s session was overflowing with ideas that apply to supply chain decarbonisation

Capgemini Invent Workshop at Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero

Explore how Capgemini Invent's workshop on Day 1 of Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero delved into climate adaptation & social sustainability for futureproofing

Energy Highlights from Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero

Sustainability

Sustainability LIVE: Leading ESG and Net Zero

Sustainability

International Women’s Day: Women in Energy with Julia Souder

Renewable Energy