The Ministry of Climate and Environmental Affairs announced its key business plan for 2026, aiming to achieve a 100GW renewable energy supply by 2030 and transition toward a decarbonized civilization. This includes revising regulations to improve solar power distance rules, enacting special legislation to promote agrivoltaics, and expanding support for wind power generation. The ministry also plans to establish ‘Sunlight Income Villages’ in all 38,000 administrative units nationwide starting in 2026, and support the early commercialization of next-generation technologies such as tandem solar modules and ultra-large wind turbines.
To lay the foundation for energy transition, the 12th Basic Plan for Power Supply and Demand and the 2040 Coal Power Transition Roadmap will be established. The ministry will decentralize the power grid, operate intelligent power networks using AI, and boost renewable energy accommodation by supplying 2.3GW of energy storage systems (ESS) and activating virtual power plants (VPPs) by 2029. Electricity tariffs and power market reforms, including the introduction of a bidding system for the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and a quasi-central dispatch system for renewables, are also planned.
The ministry will promote the green transformation of industry and the economy (K-GX) by developing carbon-neutral technologies and expanding electric vehicle (EV) policies. This includes revising EV subsidy systems to encourage cost reduction while improving performance and safety, expanding electrified lineups across all vehicle classes, and enhancing charging infrastructure. Measures to reduce building carbon emissions, expand carbon absorption, and promote public climate actions are also included.
In the environmental sector, the ministry plans to realize a plastic-free circular economy by transitioning the disposable cup deposit system to a payment-based model and mandating the use of recycled PET materials. The introduction of a Korean-style (K-) recycled material certification system is also planned to reduce the certification burden on export companies. Additional measures include advanced water treatment, seasonal management of algal blooms, flood and drought preparedness, and the implementation of a direct landfill ban for household waste in the Seoul metropolitan area starting January 1, 2025.