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Korea Expressway to generate solar power to self-supply

Posted April. 15, 2017 07:23,   

Updated April. 15, 2017 07:30

한국어

All electricity needed for expressway management and operation will likely be generated on expressways beginning as early as 2025. Korea Expressway Corporation will generate renewable energy by utilizing expressways and auxiliary facilities and achieve "energy independent expressways" by 2025.

The state-run company plans to install solar power facilities, which are currently installed only at deserted highways and parking lots in highway rest areas, also at rooftops of buildings including road facilities, offices, tunnel management buildings and storages of snow removal equipment.

In the second half of this year, the company will operate solar power facilities with an output of 2.5 MW per hour on the roof of the Gwanggyo noise insulation tunnel in Yeongdong Expressway. It will also install fuel-cell power generation facilities at green zones at rest areas and expressway junctions, and generate wind power in the long term.

Korea Expressway Corporation plans to increase its annual renewable energy output from 55.2GWh (14 percent of its electricity need) of last year to more than 439.8GWh (100 percent of its electricity need) in 2025.



Jae-Young Kim redfoot@donga.com