Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Publishes Recommended Guide for Each Stage of Offshore Wind Power Projects

The government will establish and distribute a guidebook containing stage-by-stage recommendations to enhance the acceptance of offshore wind power among residents and fishermen.

On the 18th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the publication of the "Offshore Wind Power Guidebook with Residents and Fishermen." It includes essential requirements and information to be observed at each project stage, such as the establishment of local councils involving power developers, local governments, and residents and fishermen.

So far, the decline in acceptance of offshore wind power projects has been attributed to insufficient communication between developers and residents and fishermen during the project implementation process. Additionally, developers found it difficult to identify which residents and fishermen were stakeholders, while residents and fishermen complained about the lack of information regarding who the developers were and the current stage of the project. There were also concerns about confusion arising from differences in how developers and local governments collect opinions from residents and fishermen, as well as regional support and compensation varying by project and region.

In response, the guidebook contains ▲ essential matters that developers and local governments must know and observe at each project stage ▲ principles for establishing communication channels such as local councils involving developers, residents, fishermen, and local governments, and information sharing ▲ basic information such as the permitting procedures for offshore wind power, aiming to improve residents' and fishermen's understanding of offshore wind power. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy prepared the guidebook in collaboration with the Korea Maritime Institute, a specialized organization in the marine and fisheries sector, and after discussions with related ministries and experts.

The guidebook is available on the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s website and can also be accessed through relevant metropolitan local governments and the Korea Wind Energy Association. A ministry official explained, "With the establishment of communication systems and expanded information sharing between offshore wind power developers and residents and fishermen, the acceptance of offshore wind power during its dissemination process is expected to improve significantly."

Meanwhile, on the 17th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy completed improvements to the resident participation project system, which was promoted to intensively expand benefit sharing with nearby residents and fishermen affected by renewable energy projects, including offshore wind power. The revised version of the "Renewable Energy Mandatory Supply and Fuel Blending Mandatory System Management and Operation Guidelines" can be found on the ministry’s website and the National Law Information Center. The ministry plans to establish and distribute a "Resident Participation Project Guidebook (tentative name)" in the third quarter of this year, which will explain the main contents of the revised system and recommend operational methods.

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