Recruiting 50 'Energy Self-Reliant Villages' This Year to Address the Climate Crisis

Applications through autonomous districts until the 26th... This year, 1-2 sites selected in all 25 autonomous districts

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 12th that it will create up to 50 ‘Energy Self-Reliant Villages’ this year to increase energy self-sufficiency and respond to the climate crisis through voluntary participation of residents.

‘Energy Self-Reliant Villages’ are community villages where residents voluntarily participate to save energy, increase energy efficiency, and produce renewable energy to enhance energy self-sufficiency. Selected villages will receive up to 60 million KRW in project funds over three years.

Since starting the project in 2012, Seoul City has established 133 villages by last year and aims to select and support 1 to 2 villages in each of the 25 autonomous districts this year. The autonomous districts, which are closely connected to grassroots communities, will be responsible for recruiting and selecting target sites, managing projects, and spreading the initiative locally and on the ground. Seoul City plans to provide full municipal funding, consulting, mentoring, and other professional support without hesitation.

Energy Self-Reliant Villages have expanded throughout Seoul, achieving various results such as spreading a culture of energy-saving through resident participation and reducing electricity bills in apartments.

One apartment in Seongbuk-gu replaced fluorescent lights in the underground parking lot and each household with LEDs and installed mini solar panels on balconies. This drastically reduced apartment management costs, which were then used for security guard wages. An apartment in Dongdaemun-gu, where mini solar panels were installed in every household, saved about 36 million KRW in electricity bills over approximately 10 months compared to before installation.

Seoul City is recruiting villages to participate in the creation of ‘Energy Self-Reliant Villages’ through each autonomous district until the 26th of this month. Resident groups or organizations of three or more people can participate after recruiting households living in the same living space (at least 30 single-family households or 50 multi-family households).

Meanwhile, Seoul City will also selectively support up to 10 million KRW per autonomous district for projects to establish an energy self-reliant culture base to change awareness of energy self-reliance and spread a culture of resident participation.

Kim Yeon-ji, Director of the Environmental Citizen Cooperation Division of Seoul City, said, "Through the Energy Self-Reliant Village project, the village will share a carbon-neutral vision and implement various tasks to respond to the climate crisis," adding, "We hope for strong support and participation from many citizens in the Energy Self-Reliant Village project that protects Seoul’s future."

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