Citizens Shape the Energy Future... Paju City Selects RE100 Citizen Instructors

Full-scale Launch of Citizen-Led Energy Education
Through Direct Development of Educational Content and Materials

Paju City in Gyeonggi Province announced on June 30 that it has selected RE100 citizen instructors as the first step toward energy transition with its citizens.

Paju City selected RE100 citizen instructors as the first step toward energy transition with its citizens. Photo by Paju City

Since April, Paju City has operated an introductory training course for RE100 citizen instructors for about two months, targeting 25 citizens interested in RE100. The training program focused on the concept of renewable energy, the necessity of energy transition, and educational methods for young children. Among those who completed the course, eight final citizen instructors were selected through interviews.

The selected citizen instructors will undergo a practical, advanced training program for about two months starting in July. This training will focus on demonstration lectures tailored to the level of six- to seven-year-old children, the creation of teaching materials, the development of play-based content, and mock classes. After completing the program, the citizen instructors will be dispatched to educational institutions such as daycare centers and kindergartens starting in October to directly conduct energy education.

This project is the first citizen-participatory RE100 education model promoted by Paju City this year. It is significant in that it encourages a shift in awareness about renewable energy and expands the social foundation for energy transition by having citizens directly participate in energy education.

A Paju City official stated, "RE100 citizen instructors are more than just instructors; they are partners and key actors in Paju City's energy policy. We will continue to expand various educational programs and participation opportunities to build an RE100 city together with citizens."

Paju City is currently implementing the nation's first 'public renewable energy supply project' directly designed and provided by a local government. The citizen instructor project is drawing attention as an attempt to expand the policy foundation into the daily lives of citizens.