Hanwha Q CELLS and K-Water Promote World's Largest Floating Solar Project with Community Participation Model

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Hanwha Q CELLS (construction company) and Korea Water Resources Corporation (client) are carrying out the world's largest dam floating solar power plant, the 'Hapcheon Dam Floating Solar Power Plant,' as a resident participation-type power generation project.

Hanwha Q CELLS announced on the 22nd that it has started the project with Korea Water Resources Corporation to employ local residents during the construction of the regional power plant and establish a resident investment system so that stable profits can be earned from the power plant installed in the region. This power plant has a total project cost of 92.4 billion KRW, an installed capacity of 41 MW (megawatts), and is scheduled to be completed in 2021, producing electricity sufficient for about 60,000 households annually. Additionally, this power plant is expected to reduce 30 tons of fine dust and 26,000 tons of greenhouse gases annually.

Hanwha Q CELLS and Korea Water Resources Corporation plan to prioritize the employment of dozens of local workers for the construction of the power plant and involve local construction companies and heavy equipment firms. Furthermore, they plan to use local fishermen's vessels to transport floating construction materials and hire local residents as necessary personnel and environmental monitors for maintenance of the power plant over the next 20 years. This project also involves local residents as investors, sharing the profits of the power plant. Local residents acquire shares in the power plant through investment and receive fixed interest income of 4-10% annually for 20 years according to their participation ratio.

Moreover, the power plant will be constructed with a design inspired by the plum blossom, the county flower of Hapcheon-gun. This emphasizes the symbolism of Hapcheon-gun, the location of the power plant, and aims to promote long-term regional development by considering future renewable energy tours and tourism resource development.

The resident participation-type power generation project is included in the 'Renewable Energy 3020' plan announced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in 2017. The core of this plan is to shift the energy supply主? from existing outsiders and business operators to local residents and general public participation. The perspective is that public participation is ultimately important to increase the share of renewable energy generation to 20% by 2030.

In a situation where disputes related to renewable energy projects are widespread nationwide, the resident participation-type power generation project by Korea Water Resources Corporation and Hanwha Q CELLS, which encompasses direct employment of local residents, stable profit distribution, and mid- to long-term regional development perspectives such as tourism infrastructure construction, is attracting attention as an industry model case.

Along with an exemplary business model, Hanwha Q CELLS plans to construct the Hapcheon Dam Floating Solar Power Plant with products that meet the world's highest quality standards. Hanwha Q CELLS will apply the Q.PEAK DUO Poseidon, a floating solar-specific module, to this power plant. The Q.PEAK DUO Poseidon, produced with eco-friendly materials, is a product optimized for aquatic environments, specialized for high temperature and high humidity environments, applying internal test standards higher than the KS certification requirements such as exposure testing for over 3,000 hours under conditions of 85 degrees Celsius and 85% relative humidity.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.