Phase 1 Completion Ceremony Held on May 8... 5.4 Billion Won Invested
Wolpyeong Village in Yeonggwang to Host 3MW Agrivoltaic Complex
Resident-Led Development and Profit-Sharing Model Adopted
Monthly Payment of 118,000 Won, Annual Total of 1.42 Million Won
Boosting Rural Income and Combating Regional Depopulation
Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Youngrok is cutting the tape with key guests at the completion ceremony of the 'Resident-led Agrivoltaic Phase 1 (1MW) Power Plant Complex' held on the 8th in Wolpyeong Village, Yeomsan-myeon, Yeonggwang. Provided by Jeonnam Province
On May 8, Jeollanam-do announced that it held a completion ceremony for Phase 1 (1MW) of the agrivoltaic power plant complex in Wolpyeong Village, Yeomsan-myeon, Yeonggwang, a project led by local residents and set to become the largest in the nation at 3MW when fully completed.
More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, Jang Seil, Mayor of Yeonggwang, officials from the Ministry of Industry, provincial and county council members, academics, power plant operators, representatives from related organizations, and local residents.
The Wolpyeong Village agrivoltaic power plant complex in Yeonggwang is the result of a collaboration between Jeollanam-do, Yeonggwang County, and local residents, following a public selection process for the project site led by the province. The project has come to fruition after approximately three years.
The complex is being developed at a total cost of 5.4 billion won, covering about 50,000 square meters of reclaimed saline land, with a total capacity of 3MW. With the completion of Phase 1, commercial operations have officially begun. The second phase, adding 2MW, is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2026, when the new Seoyeonggwang substation is constructed.
Currently, 22 pilot agrivoltaic projects with an average capacity of 60kW each are operating in Jeollanam-do. The Wolpyeong Village agrivoltaic project stands out as the largest commercial model in the country, attracting attention not only for its demonstration effect but also as an optimal and sustainable approach to expanding renewable energy.
In addition, it is noteworthy that local residents decided to establish the agrivoltaic power plant complex as a solution to increase rural income and address the risk of regional population decline. They voluntarily formed a cooperative to realize resident-led development and profit-sharing.
In October 2022, Wolpyeong Village residents established the Wolpyeong Solar Power Cooperative, which serves as the main entity for the project. As a result, all landowners, cultivators, and village residents share in the "sunlight pension" generated from the power plant’s profits.
Twenty-eight households in Wolpyeong Village each receive 118,000 won per month, totaling 1.42 million won annually. This is expected to help reduce rural income disparities and attract new residents to the area in the future.
Governor Kim Youngrok stated, "The renewable energy industry is an alternative to overcoming the challenges of carbon neutrality and regional depopulation, and will play a pivotal role in realizing basic energy income. I hope that the basic income model based on the experience of establishing the Yeonggwang Wolpyeong Village solar power plant will be expanded nationwide and become a catalyst for balanced regional development."
Meanwhile, Jeollanam-do has previously announced its ambition to expand renewable energy generation to 23GW by 2030, institutionalize a resident profit-sharing system, and usher in an era of 1 trillion won in basic energy income. The province plans to significantly expand the renewable energy industry, enhance its RE100 power supply capacity, actively pursue the establishment of AI data centers and RE100 industrial complexes, and attract high-tech industries, all as part of efforts to overcome population decline and promote balanced regional development.
Jeollanam-do is also establishing its own institutional foundation to expand the adoption of agrivoltaic systems. The province has worked to ensure that the "Special Act on Support for Agrivoltaic Systems" is submitted to the National Assembly and is making every effort to ensure its swift passage.
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