POSCO Steelion Installs Solar Power at Pohang Plant... 6% of Electricity Now Self-Supplied

Solar Panels Installed on 20,000㎡ of Plating and Color Factory Grounds
PosMAC 3.0 Applied for Over 25 Years of Operation
Direct Power Supply Reduces Electricity Costs

POSCO Steelion has begun producing a portion of its factory’s electricity independently by installing solar power facilities on the grounds of its Pohang plating and color factories.

On January 13, POSCO Steelion announced that solar panels had been installed at its factory in Pohang, Gyeongbuk, covering an area of 20,075 square meters. The electricity generated by this facility will replace approximately 6.0-6.5% of the factory’s total annual electricity consumption. All of the produced power is supplied directly to the factory, not sold externally, thereby reducing both electricity purchase costs and carbon emissions at the same time.

Solar panels are installed on the roof of the POSCO Steelion factory in Pohang, Gyeongbuk. POSCO Steelion

POSCO’s highly corrosion-resistant steel, ‘PosMAC 3.0,’ has been applied to the supports and cable trays that hold the solar panels. In environments exposed to sea winds and salt, such as the Pohang steel complex, ordinary steel corrodes rapidly. However, PosMAC 3.0 features a coating layer combining zinc, magnesium, and aluminum, providing high long-term corrosion resistance. Since solar power facilities require long-term operation for more than 20 to 25 years, this approach is intended to reduce both maintenance costs and the risk of equipment replacement.

This solar project is a key component of POSCO Steelion’s 2050 carbon neutrality (net zero) strategy. Previously, in 2022, POSCO Steelion installed solar facilities on the roof of its headquarters and has also invested in equipment to recycle surplus steam generated during its processes. The company is working to improve energy efficiency in both electricity and heat (steam) usage.

Chun Siyeol, CEO of POSCO Steelion, stated, “This solar power installation is a practical first step toward our 2050 carbon neutrality goal. We will continue to invest in facilities that can achieve both energy efficiency and carbon reduction.”