Conference urges Korea to shift DER ownership to local communities
The 2026 Community Energy International Conference, co-hosted by the Korea Energy Agency and REN21 from September 30 to October 2, 2026, proposed that expanding renewable energy requires resident participation in ownership and decision-making, not just capacity growth. This approach aims to link DER deployment to local economic opportunities and job creation.
Our take
How can Korea accelerate its energy transition by empowering local communities in DER projects?
The conference highlighted that accelerating Korea's energy transition requires a fundamental shift from state- or utility-centric deployment to a community-owned model, where residents directly participate in project ownership and decision-making to secure local economic benefits and overcome social acceptance hurdles.
This shift is proposed because current renewable energy expansion, focused primarily on quantitative capacity, often fails to generate local buy-in or distribute economic benefits broadly, leading to social costs and hindering sustained growth. By empowering residents as owners, the mechanism aims to align local interests with project success, ensuring that local sun and wind resources translate into tangible income, jobs, and welfare, thereby strengthening the foundation for transition and reducing grid-related social friction.
What the source says
- The '2026 Community Energy International Conference' was held from September 30 to October 2, 2026, in Seoul Press Center.
- Ramon Mendez Galian REN21 Chairman Ramon Mendez Galian emphasized that renewable energy discussions should now consider people, land, and local communities, beyond just technology, potential, and cost.
- Yeo Bee Yin Former Malaysian Energy Minister Yeo Bee Yin highlighted policy efforts to increase rooftop solar through improved Net Energy Metering (NEM) economics, tax incentives, and initial financial support.
- Yeo Bee Yin Malaysia introduced a solar leasing model to overcome initial investment hurdles for factory and warehouse owners, allowing a separate operator to invest and share electricity bill savings with roof owners.
- Lee Chang-hoon Lee Chang-hoon, Co-Chairman of the National Climate Crisis Response Committee, identified grid connection bottlenecks as a potential obstacle that could derail community-prepared projects.
- Park Ji-hye Rep. Park Ji-hye stated that renewable energy expansion must be an opportunity, not a burden, for residents to ensure local acceptance, citing sunshine income villages as an important model.
- Lee Chang-hoon Lee Chang-hoon argued that residents should transition from passive consumers to producers and owners, turning local resources into assets for income, jobs, and welfare.
- Proposed solutions include policy finance, local funds, provision of public idle land, and comprehensive support for planning, finance, permits, and operation for regions lacking expertise.
For investors — Investors in Korean DER should evaluate projects based on their ability to integrate local community ownership and benefit-sharing mechanisms, as this approach is increasingly seen as critical for project viability, social license, and long-term sustainability, potentially influencing future policy support and regulatory frameworks for grid access and financial incentives.
Watch: Continued discussions and policy proposals from the Korea Energy Agency, National Climate Crisis Response Committee, and lawmakers regarding community-led DER ownership models, financial support, and grid access improvements.
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