South Korea aims to increase renewable energy capacity from 37 GW at the end of 2025 to 100 GW by 2030
The government plans to replace the REC system and spot market with a unified fixed-price mechanism based on competitive bidding
It will invest in power grid infrastructure, including a subsea HVDC demonstration project, to support renewable energy integration
South Korea has announced a KRW 1,000 trillion plan to achieve 100 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 under its Korea-Green Transformation (K-GX) strategy. Solar energy will form the lion’s share at 87 GW, with wind providing 9 GW and the remaining 4 GW coming from other renewable energy sources.
This will be a growth from 37 GW of operational capacity the country had at the end of 2025, comprising 31 GW of solar, 2 GW of wind, and 4 GW from other sources. The government announced the plan during a briefing led by President Lee Jae Myung, according to local media reports.
South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment had previously shared the 100 GW target as part of its Energy Transition Promotion Plan. It also plans to phase out 60 operational coal-fired power plants by 2040 (see South Korea To Target 100 GW RE Capacity Ahead Of 2030).
At the briefing, the administration said it plans to accelerate solar and wind power deployment through new project sites, market reforms, and investments in power grid infrastructure under the K-GX strategy announced as part of a 10-year plan covering 2026 to 2035.
The renewable energy target is intended to strengthen domestic energy security, reduce generation costs and support the country's transition to a lower-carbon economy. South Korea aims to reduce solar-based electricity generation costs from KRW 150/kWh in 2025 to KRW 100/kWh by 2030 and KRW 80/kWh by 2035.
It plans to accelerate solar deployment by identifying projects in areas with available grid capacity, including the Sihwa and Hwaong districts and border regions. It will also identify sites across five priority categories, including factory rooftops and agrivoltaic projects that combine solar power generation with agricultural activities.
The strategy also proposes changes to the renewable energy market. The government plans to abolish the Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) system and the spot market and replace them with a unified, fixed-price system based on competitive bidding. Detailed plans are expected by January 2027.
The government also plans to strengthen transmission infrastructure to accommodate rising renewable energy capacity. It will establish a special-purpose company in the second half of 2026 for a subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) demonstration project linking Saemangeum and Seohwaseong. The project is scheduled to continue through 2030. The project will also replace the existing transmission lines with high-capacity cables by 2030 to increase transmission capacity.
In addition, the government plans to develop direct-current power networks to supply renewable electricity to industrial complexes, AI data centers, and other end users.
