The government is working on guidelines to streamline procedures so that enclosed energy storage systems (ESS) can be installed quickly without a separate filing, according to reports on the 27th. An ESS is a device that stores electricity and discharges it when needed. As renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, whose output is not constant, increase, ESS helps reduce volatility on the power grid.
In preparation for a rise in ESS adoption as the Sunlight Income Village program expands, the aim is to clarify permitting standards that differed by local government and simplify the procedures.
According to reporting by ChosunBiz, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport have recently been jointly preparing these guidelines. The plan classifies ESS that people can enter as buildings or temporary buildings (in container form) under the Building Act, and ESS that people cannot enter as structures.
Until now, each local government has made its own judgment on whether to view an ESS as a building, a temporary building, or a structure. The problem is that the permits required and the level of regulation vary widely depending on the classification.
If classified as a building, ESS are subject to various building regulations such as building permits or filings, building-to-land ratios, and floor area ratios. Because the process is effectively similar to constructing a general building, installation can take from two weeks to several months. Temporary buildings require only a filing without a building permit, but their retention period is limited to three years, requiring an extension filing upon expiration.
Classifying ESS as structures involves the simplest procedure. The Enforcement Decree of the Building Act requires a filing if a structure related to solar power generation facilities exceeds 5 meters in height. Most ESS recently being introduced are lower than this height and are enclosed with no doors, so they are exempt from filing.
These guidelines are a preemptive measure in anticipation of the expansion of the Sunlight Income Village program. In this program, residents form a cooperative, build a solar power plant on idle village land, and share the revenue, and the government aims to select 700 villages this year. In some regions, limited grid capacity makes it essential to install ESS to store and transmit the electricity produced.
A government official said, "We are preemptively preparing guidelines in anticipation of a full-scale expansion of ESS installations, including the Sunlight Income Village program."