Goheung County Selected for 43.9 Billion Won "Smart Farm Energy Innovation Project" Public Funding

Centering on Goheung Smart Farm Innovation Valley,
Building a Sustainable Future Agriculture Ecosystem

Goheung County, South Jeolla Province, announced on May 14 that two national energy convergence projects, with a total project budget of 43.9 billion won, have been selected for public funding. With Goheung Smart Farm Innovation Valley as their base, these projects will serve as a stepping stone to establishing Goheung as a global hub for "energy self-sufficient smart agriculture" beyond Korea.

With this selection, the county will implement the "Direct Current-Based Smart Farm Energy Integration Platform Construction Project" with a total budget of 20.2 billion won by 2030, as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Regional Innovation Cluster Development Project.

Aerial view of Goheung Smart Farm Innovation Valley. Provided by Goheung County

Additionally, through the "Core Technology Development Project for New and Renewable Energy," a national program in the climate, energy, and environment sectors, Goheung will carry out the "Agricultural Solar-Based Carbon-Zero Artificial Intelligence (AI) Smart Farm Technology Development and Demonstration Project" with a total budget of 23.7 billion won by 2029.

The "Direct Current-Based Smart Farm Energy Integration Platform Construction Project" aims to establish a high-efficiency energy circulation model that minimizes energy loss by utilizing direct current electricity generated by solar power and stored in energy storage systems (ESS) without converting it to alternating current.

The core of the "Agricultural Solar-Based Carbon-Zero AI Smart Farm Technology Development and Demonstration Project" is to apply transparent solar modules with adjustable light transmittance and technology to convert surplus power into thermal energy, thereby reducing smart farm energy consumption by up to 50%.

These projects will leverage the advanced infrastructure of the Goheung Smart Farm Innovation Valley demonstration complex, which is operated by Jeonnam Technopark Foundation. The entire process, from technology validation and real-world agricultural application to the creation of revenue models, will be carried out through a collaborative system involving the public sector, private companies, and research institutes.

In particular, Goheung County and Jeonnam Technopark Foundation plan to link the two projects to develop Goheung Smart Farm Innovation Valley into a world-class "energy convergence technology test bed" beyond a simple production complex. Additionally, they aim to package the carbon-neutral agricultural models and energy management technologies verified at the demonstration complex to develop Goheung as a "K-Smart Farm" export base targeting global markets such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, in addition to the domestic market.

An official from the county’s Smart Farm Office stated, "The climate crisis and rising energy prices are significant burdens on farm management. By combining Jeonnam Technopark’s demonstration infrastructure with the technological capabilities of participating organizations, Goheung County will present a global standard for carbon-neutral agriculture and establish a sustainable smart agriculture ecosystem that leads to increased farm income."

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