Gyeonggi Province has surpassed its "Public RE100" goal, providing 101% [3] of the electricity needed for its public institutions through renewable energy.
This achievement accelerates the region's transition to clean energy and aims to bolster the global export competitiveness of South Korea's solar industry. By utilizing public land and building integration, the province is attempting to create a scalable model for urban carbon reduction.
The government reached this milestone by installing 28.5 MW [2] of renewable capacity. This includes the development of the nation's largest building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) cluster, which exceeds one MW [1] in capacity at the Gyeonggi Convergence Town where the provincial office is located.
Additional power is generated from public idle land. A solar power plant located near the West Suwon and Wolam interchanges contributes 5.2 MW [4] to the grid. The province also implemented a participatory structure involving 26 groups [5] of residents who invest in, and share the profits from, these energy projects.
Kim Yeon-ji, head of the Gyeonggi Energy Industry Division, said the province provided active support so that the domestic solar industry could gain export competitiveness and preoccupy the global market.
The initiative follows a vision for RE100 first declared by the province in 2023. The strategy focused on maximizing the use of existing government infrastructure to minimize land use conflicts, while increasing energy autonomy.
“Gyeonggi Province now covers 101% of public institution power needs through renewable energy sources.”
By exceeding its RE100 target, Gyeonggi Province is shifting from theoretical climate goals to tangible infrastructure. The use of building-integrated photovoltaics and resident-funded models suggests a strategy to overcome the land-scarcity issues typical of densely populated Korean regions, potentially serving as a blueprint for other municipal governments to reach carbon neutrality.
