10 local solar firms donate equipment

Facilities to save around 1.5 million won a year each

South Gyeongsang Provincial Government headquarters [South Gyeongsang Province]
South Gyeongsang Provincial Government headquarters [South Gyeongsang Province]

South Gyeongsang Province has partnered with local solar installation companies to ease energy costs for small-scale social welfare facilities across the province.

The provincial government held a joint completion ceremony Tuesday at the Ire Vocational Rehabilitation Facility in Hanam-eup, Miryang, marking the conclusion of its "Light Energy Sharing Project." Ten solar installation companies based in the province each donated equipment worth 11.5 million won ($8,610), contributing a combined total of 115 million won in solar installations. South Gyeongsang Province, Changwon and the Korea Energy Agency's South Gyeongsang regional office added 35 million won in project funding, bringing the total project value to 150 million won.

The 10 beneficiary welfare facilities were selected through an open call and evaluation process run by the South Gyeongsang Council of Social Welfare. The project equipped each facility with a 9.8-kilowatt solar power system, for a combined capacity of 98 kilowatts. Once operational, the systems are expected to reduce utility costs for the financially constrained facilities. A 10-kilowatt installation is projected to cut electricity bills by around 130,000 won per month, or about 1.5 million won a year, per facility.

Mo Yu-cheong, chief executive of CTR Energy, one of the participating installation firms, said giving back to the community in proportion to a company's growth is only natural, and that joining the project was an act of ESG management in practice. "It was difficult for us to identify welfare facilities on our own, but South Gyeongsang Province and related agencies connected us with them, allowing our company to contribute using what we do best — solar technology," he said.

Through the Light Energy Sharing Project, which the province has run since 2014, a total of 102 facilities had received solar installations through last year. With 10 more added this year, the cumulative total has risen to 112 facilities.

Lee Mi-hwa, director of the province's industry bureau, said the project would provide meaningful relief to welfare facilities burdened by high heating and cooling costs. "We will strengthen cooperation with private companies and continue to expand energy sharing," she said.


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