The government has formed a task force (TF) for the full-scale rollout of domestic offshore wind power and moved to revitalize the offshore wind industry. The government said it plans to strengthen the foundation for deployment to achieve the national agenda of "an energy transition centered on renewable energy."
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said on the 10th that it held a kickoff meeting for the pan-government offshore wind deployment acceleration TF at the Electric Power Infrastructure Center in Yeouido, Seoul. The TF is composed of the Presidential Office's secretary for climate, environment and energy, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment, the Financial Services Commission, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and local governments.
Attendees agreed that, for early offshore wind projects to take root successfully, it is necessary to resolve major bottlenecks such as complex permits and licenses, a lack of infrastructure, and financing. They also agreed to build a foundation to accelerate the deployment of domestic offshore wind in the future.
According to the government, offshore wind currently operating in Korea amounts to only a total of 0.35 GW. In response, the government has selected offshore wind projects totaling 4.1 GW and plans to introduce about 14 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030.
Lee Ho-hyeon, the second vice minister of the industry ministry, said, "Every expert is saying that now is the last golden time to activate domestic offshore wind," adding, "The successful establishment of the 4.1 GW awarded projects will determine the overall success or failure of accelerating offshore wind deployment going forward."
Lee added, "To avoid missing this window, all relevant ministries will act as one team and marshal all capabilities, including speeding up permits and licenses, securing infrastructure, and providing financial support."