Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) said on the 27th it officially launched the "Gwangju-style RE100 industrial complex planning committee" to discuss an energy transition strategy for the Gwangju industrial complex in line with the government's carbon neutrality policy. The launch ceremony and first meeting were held on the 24th at GIST Oryong Hall.
The committee was formed to implement at the regional level the international campaign "RE100 (Renewable Electricity 100%)," which calls for converting 100% of the electricity used in industrial complexes to renewable energy. The committee will check the status of the renewable energy transition at the Gwangju industrial complex and focus on preparing practical implementation plans and setting specific strategies that link to government policy and research and development (R&D) projects.
Sixteen institutions from industry, academia, research, and government participated in the committee, including Gwangju City, Gwangju Free Economic Zone Authority, KEPCO KDN Co. (KDN), LS ELECTRIC, Hanwha Shinhan Terawatt-hour, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), Chonnam National University, and Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH). The Chairperson is Kim Yun-su, head of the Power Grid Research Center at GIST (professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science).
At the meeting, short-term tasks such as agrivoltaics projects and expanding renewable energy within industrial complexes were discussed, along with mid- to long-term strategies such as expanding energy storage system (ESS) infrastructure and ways to increase participation by corporations. Participants agreed that a system should be established to lead to policy proposals and demonstration projects through regular discussions.
Chairperson Kim said, "This committee will play a central role in creating a realistic inland RE100 model through cooperation among industry, academia, research, and government," and added, "We will continue discussions and cooperation so that Gwangju can establish itself as a leading city for RE100 industrial complexes in Korea."
GIST plans to use the launch of this committee as a starting point to pursue follow-up research, including AI-based power grid optimization, distributed energy management, and development of a region-specific RE100 model, while also strengthening technical support and demonstration foundations for the renewable energy transition of industrial complexes.