Geochang-gun Leads the Promotion of Renewable Energy Distribution ... A Top Local Government!

Selected for 12 Public Projects Over 5 Years Since 2018, Secured 7.9 Billion KRW in National Funding

Completed Construction of 45 Village Community Solar Power Plants, Aiming for 100 Units

Exterior view of a passive house in Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Soon-kyung] Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam Province, is actively applying for government-funded projects in the renewable energy sector to increase the electricity self-sufficiency rate using renewable energy in buildings and homes, and is focusing on expanding the distribution of renewable energy to resolve energy inequality among residents and realize energy welfare.

Since the start of the 7th local government administration in 2018 until the current 8th administration, the county has secured a total of 7.9 billion KRW in government funds for 12 projects: 6 projects under the ‘Renewable Energy Convergence Support Project’ with 6.8 billion KRW, 5 projects under the ‘Renewable Energy Expansion Foundation Project’ with 600 million KRW, and 1 project under the ‘Regional Energy New Industry Activation Support Project’ with 500 million KRW.

Through these efforts, the county has actively promoted the creation of energy self-sufficient villages, energy-saving projects, and renewable energy expansion projects, achieving a renewable energy electricity self-sufficiency rate of 37% as of June 1, surpassing the government’s Renewable Energy 3020 Implementation Plan target of 20% by 2030 by a wide margin.

The ‘Renewable Energy Convergence Support Public Contest Project’ installs two or more types of renewable energy facilities (such as solar power, solar heat, geothermal) in areas and villages where residential, public, and commercial (industrial) buildings are mixed, expanding resident-participatory energy self-sufficiency.

The county completed renewable energy convergence support projects in 77 villages from 2013 to 2021, of which 69 villages were promoted from 2018 to 2021 with a project cost of 7.3 billion KRW.

This year, with a total project cost of 2.5 billion KRW including 1.3 billion KRW in government funds, projects are underway in 28 villages and 305 locations across Geochang-eup, Namha-myeon, Gajo-myeon, and Gabuk-myeon, installing solar power with a capacity of 1,166 kW, solar heat covering 408㎡, and geothermal with a capacity of 123 kW.

With an additional 4.7 billion KRW secured through the 2023 Renewable Energy Convergence Support Public Contest Project, solar power and solar heat facilities will be distributed in six northern areas of Joo-sang, Ungyang, Goje, Buksang, Wicheon, and Mari-myeon. Once all 12 eup and myeon have implemented the contest projects, it will lay the foundation to continuously promote the convergence support advanced projects in 420 villages across all eup and myeon by 2030, establishing Geochang-gun as a genuine carbon-neutral energy welfare city that replaces more than 50% of the electricity consumption of all houses and buildings with renewable energy.

The Renewable Energy Expansion Foundation Project installs geothermal heating and cooling systems and solar power generation facilities to reduce public operating costs such as electricity bills for public facilities.

From 2018 for five years, Geochang-gun installed solar power generation facilities with a capacity of 200 kW in 15 public facilities including Geochang Changpowon geothermal system with 395 kW, Geochang Culture Center, all-weather gateball field, agricultural machinery rental office, and Gabuk-myeon welfare center, with a total project cost of 1.2 billion KRW including 600 million KRW in government funds.

Additionally, solar power generation facilities were installed in 353 senior citizen centers through the senior center solar power distribution project, and 902 single-family homes were supported with solar power housing support projects until 2021, with 50 locations receiving 150 kW support this year.

▲ Promotion of the goal to build 100 rural village community solar power plants and village sunlight power plants

Geochang-gun’s specialized project, the ‘Rural Village Community Solar Power Plant,’ utilizes idle village land to create new income sources beyond agriculture, increasing village joint income to establish a communal fund. Currently, 45 village sunlight power plants with a total capacity of 1.3 MW have been built and are operating across all eup and myeon, with a goal to build 100 plants continuing.

The county operates private solar power plants with a capacity of 112 MW, including onshore wind power plants, reflecting high ownership and resident acceptance of renewable energy distribution.

Governor Gu In-mo said, “Being selected for six consecutive years from 2018 to 2023 in public contest projects is a great achievement contributing to the creation of an energy self-sufficient city. We will continue to do our best to widely distribute high-quality solar power and solar heat facilities to residents, creating a carbon-neutral energy welfare city that provides economic benefits such as reduced electricity and fuel costs.”

Geochang-gun is highly evaluated as a local government that realizes customized energy welfare to resolve regional energy inequality in the era of high oil prices by fully committing to building a foundation for an energy self-sufficient city through projects such as creating passive houses and energy self-sufficient villages, activating renewable energy distribution, and promoting various new energy policies for balanced regional energy development.

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