South Korea to Expand Community Solar, Aiming for 700 'Sunlight Income Villages' This Year

The South Korean government is moving to expand resident-led solar power projects, gathering on-the-ground feedback as it pushes to build more than 700 “Sunlight Income Villages” this year through regulatory tweaks and stronger administrative support.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said it held a policy forum on Thursday morning at the Han River Flood Control Office in Seoul’s Seocho district.

Climate Minister Kim Seong-hwan attended along with members of the Sunlight Income Village task force, energy-related agencies, ReSCO companies, experts, industry representatives and financial institutions. Participants discussed hurdles in implementation, hands-on support and post-completion management.
 
Sunlight Income Villages are community-participation projects in which residents join solar generation through cooperatives and return profits to the local community.

The government views the program as a model that can expand renewable energy while boosting local economies, and expects wider solar deployment to raise energy self-sufficiency at the community level.
 
Key topics included financing, grid connection, securing sites and permitting procedures.

Based on the forum, the ministry said it will review ways to streamline administrative steps that developers have sought to improve, including facility confirmation under the Renewable Portfolio Standard, technical reviews and pre-use inspections.

It also said it will use a public-private field support team and ReSCO partners to assist projects from cooperative formation through operations, and will strengthen checks on profit distribution after completion.
 
Kim said the initiative is “the most practical energy transition model” in which residents participate and share benefits, pledging to create more than 700 villages this year and quickly lay the groundwork for nationwide expansion. He also vowed to tighten oversight from planning through operations so projects proceed “more transparently and stably.”