Gov't establishes task force to foster distribution of wind power

Doosan Enerbility Co.'s wind power facility / Yonhap

The government on Wednesday launched a task force to promote the use of wind power as part of efforts to accelerate the country's transition to renewable energy and respond to rising electricity demand, the industry ministry said.

The task force will support ongoing wind power development projects with a combined electricity generation capacity of 4.1 gigawatts (GW), according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Korea's wind power generation capacity currently stands at 0.35 GW.

The ministry said wind power could become a key renewable energy source for South Korea, which is surrounded by the sea on three sides, and for the shipbuilding and steel sectors.

Wind power is also expected to help the country meet rising energy demand sparked by the growth of artificial intelligence and other advanced industries, it added.

"Experts all agree that this is the last golden time to revitalize offshore wind power in Korea, and the successful implementation of the 4.1 GW projects will determine the success or failure of the initiative," Second Vice Industry Minister Lee Ho-hyeon said.

"To seize this critical moment, all relevant ministries will work together as one team, mobilizing every resource to expedite the permitting process, secure infrastructure and provide financial support for the projects," he added.

Earlier this year, the government unveiled a plan to build the country's biggest-ever offshore wind power cluster with a production capacity of 3.2 GW in Sinan, some 300 kilometers south of Seoul, by 2033.