"Electricity Surplus But Unused"... Naju City's Bold Bet on DC Power Grids

Initiating the Transition to a Distributed Power System Amid Renewable Energy Limitations

Naju City in Jeollanam-do has officially taken steps to foster the next-generation direct current (DC) power grid industry, making a decisive move to secure leadership in new industries in the era of energy transition.

Kang Sanggu, Acting Mayor of Naju City, emphasized the necessity of developing a DC-based next-generation power grid industry during a special lecture at the 'Jeonnam Future Energy Industry Innovation and Global Direct Current Industry-based Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation Workshop' recently held at the UTOP Marina Hotel in Yeosu. He stated, "In the era of electricity sovereignty, power grid technology itself is national competitiveness."

This statement is regarded as more than just a matter of energy policy; it is seen as a declaration to overcome the structural limitations revealed during the expansion of renewable energy through industrial strategy.

Kang Sanggu, Acting Mayor of Naju, recently gave a special lecture at the 'Jeonnam Future Energy Industry Innovation and Global Direct Current Industry-based Industry-Academic-Research Cooperation Workshop'.
[Photo by Naju City]

In his lecture, Acting Mayor Kang identified "power mismatch" as the most significant issue in the region's current power system.

In fact, Jeollanam-do has one of the largest solar and wind power generation infrastructures in the country. However, it has repeatedly faced problems such as output control and grid saturation because it cannot deliver electricity to consumers in real time. Electricity must be consumed as soon as it is generated, but renewable energy is highly variable by time and region, making it difficult for the existing centralized transmission grid system to respond effectively.

As a solution, Naju City proposed a "distributed power grid." Based on a "local production and local consumption" structure, the city plans to establish virtual power plants (VPP), microgrids, and AI-based real-time power operation systems.

Notably, the city has positioned the DC power grid as a core industry for the future. The DC power grid is attracting attention as next-generation power grid technology due to its high connection efficiency with distributed power sources such as solar power, energy storage systems (ESS), and data centers.

Globally, the demand for DC-based power systems is rapidly increasing, driven by the expansion of AI data centers.

Naju City's strategy is to go beyond mere technical demonstrations and foster an entire industrial ecosystem. The city has set forth three main pillars: energy AI, localization of power industry components, and training of specialized personnel. This reflects its intention to transform itself from simply an energy production area into a "power grid industry city."

Acting Mayor Kang stated, "The regional special zone model that operates all of Jeollanam-do as a single platform is a pioneering attempt in Korea." He added, "By attracting industries with high power demand, such as data centers, we will improve the utilization of renewable energy and drive industrial restructuring."

He continued, "The integrated special city is the optimal platform to strategically nurture the next-generation power grid industry," adding, "Naju City will serve as the heart that connects industry, technology, and talent at the center of this transformation."

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