How Gyeonggi-do is tackling the Republic of Korea’s persistent sustainable energy challenge
This blog was written by Nam Jung Choi from the ICLEI World Secretariat, with contributions from Seulji Jeon (ICLEI Korea), Kanak Gokarn and Matteo Bizzotto (ICLEI World Secretariat).
The Republic of Korea is recognized as one of the world’s largest energy consumers, ranking second in the Asia Pacific Region and thirteenth globally, with 11,504MWh electricity consumption per capita. The significant level of consumption, coupled with the country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels for electricity generation, has placed mounting global pressure to address its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
In response, the Republic of Korea’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), updated in 2021, has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 40% compared to the 2018 baseline by 2030. However, the country’s low-carbon strategy still leans heavily on nuclear power, which accounted for 29.6% of electricity generation in 2022. This is a notably high share compared to renewable energy (RE) resources such as solar and wind, which together contribute only 8.9%.
Amidst slow national progress in the sustainable energy transition with RE sources, Gyeonggi-do stands out as a proactive subnational leader. Under the 1991 Local Autonomy Act, the province can implement independent policies. This autonomy, combined with strong fiscal independence enables Gyeonggi-do to fund most of its operations and development without significantly relying on the central government’s support.
Republic of Korea’s Electricity Generation Mix 2012 and 2022
About Gyeonggi-do’s energy landscape
Gyeonggi-do, which surrounds the capital city of Seoul, accounts for the highest electricity consumption in the Republic of Korea, about 25.6% of the country’s total. This is largely due to its concentration of population and industries: It comprises 27% of the nation’s population, nearly 32% of its industrial facilities, predominantly in the manufacturing sector, and 22 planned large-scale industrial parks. Yet, Gyeonggi-do does not have any nuclear power plant within its territory, which coupled with growing energy needs, makes the RE transition both necessary and strategic.
The province’s efforts for sustainable energy transition
Gyeonggi-do aims to increase its RE facilities capacity to 9 GW by 2026 and ultimately raise the share of RE generation from 5.8% in 2021 to 30% by 2030. To achieve this, it has introduced RE100 initiatives and adopted independent policies tailored to its unique energy demands. Since 2023, Gyeonggi-do has been actively pursuing strategies that enhance RE capacity, improve energy efficiency (EE), and decentralized energy supply systems that are structured across four distinct areas – public, industry, technology, and community & citizens.
For the public sector, the plan focuses on installing solar PV on rooftops and parking lots of public institutions, supporting green remodeling of public buildings, and embedding RE100 criteria into public institution management. A public land use policy supports the development of community RE cooperatives, where local governments lease public land to cooperatives, enabling residents to invest as equity partners and receive direct dividends from RE projects.
In the industry sector, two major 100RE zones and additional specific RE source-focused cities have been designated. EE support mechanisms for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) include guarantees and loans for high-efficiency equipment, EE improvement subsidies, and promotion of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs). There is also a €86 million business fund allocated to support RE generation projects, GHG reduction initiatives, and career transition finance for workers impacted by industrial restructuring. In industrial parks, RE is integrated through planning requirements for new parks and public-private partnerships for solar PV installation in existing parks.
The technology sector repurposes idle public and unsold industrial park plots as RE clusters, combining solar PV and hydrogen fuel cells with infrastructure like data centers and smart farms. Sector-wide initiatives also include the development of a RE100 data platform to accelerate science-based RE deployment, RE100 stations that install solar PV and fuel cells on gas stations for electricity generation with rapid EV charging stations, and financial support for climate tech startups through Research and Development(R&D) initiatives.
For communities and citizens, household and community-scale min-grid solar PV projects, community solar revenue-sharing schemes, and rural agrivoltaic pilots are being implemented to boost farmer income and regulatory improvements. The RE100 points system further encourages individual and community GHG reduction through financial incentives and active awareness programs.
Supporting cities’ local actions
Localized initiatives not only foster community involvement and awareness but also ensure that solutions are tailored to specific local conditions. This approach is particularly important for energy security, as decentralized RE infrastructure development can be aligned with existing regional systems and play a key role in securing stable energy prices. Furthermore, local action often enables faster decision-making and implementation processes, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and promoting efficient project development.
Some cities in Gyeonggi-do have established policies that reflect the initiative at the subnational level and have localized strategies into comprehensive energy transition plans. For example, Gwangmyeong City promotes energy self-reliance by expanding solar PV in public and residential areas, integrating smart energy management in industries, advancing green mobility, and supporting EE in housing, especially for low-income households. Community engagement includes energy cooperatives and citizen education. Paju City implements a city-wide RE100 initiative, installing solar PV on public land, enacting the Republic of Korea’s first RE100 ordinance, and targeting distributed energy generation. The city fosters business participation through RE certificates and promotes community solar, energy self-sufficient homes, and educational outreach.
International collaboration in Renewable Energy transition
To further showcase their ambition and initiatives internationally, Gyeonggi-do and its cities are collaborating with global initiatives and hosting international forums. Gyeonggi-do, along with Gwangmyeong City and Paju City, joined ICLEI’s 100% RE Cities and Regions initiatives, which are creating a cohort of pioneering cities and regions driving the RE transition in their territories. Recently, the ICLEI World Local Government Climate Summit, co-hosted by Gyeonggi-do and ICLEI, was held in Goyang City.
While support from the central government remains limited, Gyeonggi-do’s continued progress toward a sustainable energy transition highlights the importance of robust policy implementation, sustained financial investment, and multi-level collaborations. The strategies developed and implemented in Gyeonggi-do and belonging cities provide valuable insights and actionable lessons for sub-national and local governments worldwide, particularly those aiming to address sustainable energy challenges and accelerate their own transitions.
