Utilizing Idle Highway Land for 'Solar Power Generation'... Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Recruitment Announcement

Solar power generation facility installed on the Iksan-Pohang Expressway in Jinan-gun, Jeonbuk (Photo by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Jiwon] The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Expressway Corporation announced on the 8th that they will implement the '2021 Expressway Asset Utilization Solar Power Generation Project' recruitment notice starting from the 9th.

The project involves private businesses constructing solar power generation facilities on idle land within expressways, operating them for 20 years, and paying land usage fees to Korea Expressway Corporation during the operation period.

Since 2012, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been installing solar power generation facilities utilizing idle expressway land. Currently, 319 sites with a total capacity of 149MW of solar power generation facilities are either in operation or under construction.

These facilities can produce an annual electricity amount of 195GWh, which is enough to supply approximately 140,000 households for one year.

The scale of the project promoted this year is a total of 30MW. Combined with the facilities currently underway, about 73% of the 243MW solar facility operation target for 2025 will be achieved.

The project sites include expressway embankment slopes, green zones at expressway interchanges and junctions, building rooftops, and parking lots. After the recruitment notice, proposals will be received and evaluated, and agreements are planned to be signed in October.

The selection of the preferred negotiation candidate will be conducted by an evaluation committee composed of internal and external experts. The selection will comprehensively consider the applicant's project execution capability, financial status, landscape, construction, management and operation plans, and usage fee levels.

Lee Sangheon, Director of the Road Policy Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We will continue to expand renewable energy production on expressways to accelerate the realization of carbon neutrality," and "we ask for the active interest and participation of private businesses."