Environment ministry expands renewable energy support for Han River residents

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said it has revised regulations to expand renewable energy installations for residents living in the Han River water source protection zones, aiming to increase their actual income through solar and heat pump projects.

The amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on Improvement of Water Quality and Support for Residents in the Han River Basin explicitly separates renewable energy facility operations from existing special support programs. By excluding the costs of installing and operating these facilities from the calculation of the special support fund cap, which is otherwise limited to 30 percent of the annual resident support budget, the government removes financial constraints on green energy expansion. The revision seeks to address operational gaps in the current system by clearly defining income generation and welfare promotion projects as eligible for renewable energy investments.

This change allows cooperatives formed by residents in water source protection areas to install solar power facilities without separate site restrictions. If residents participate in power generation projects, local governments acting as water managers will be permitted to directly install and operate floating solar facilities. The goal is to establish a sustainable income base by sharing revenue generated from expanded renewable energy projects with local residents.

The revised rules take effect immediately upon promulgation, but the new method for calculating the special support fund limit will apply starting with the 2027 resident support budget.

Jo Hee-song, director of the Water Management Policy Office at the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, said the regulation was amended to support residents wishing to benefit from solar income by significantly expanding renewable energy installations. "The move would realize a model of sustainable development where the local economy and the environment thrive together in a new era," he added.

Support under the updated framework extends to village halls, public facilities, and private homes, enabling the installation of solar panels and heat pumps.