Rejuvenating of Korea’s PV market with the renewable energy plan led by the Moon government

Release Time:2018-03-21

-Green Energy Expo 2018, the largest solar expo in Korea is crowded with Korea facing the second take-off stage

○ Solar takes up 63% of ‘3020 renewable energy implementation plan’ of the government.

(Refer to the government policy below)

Solar field is the core in this policy with the long-term goal of the government to cover 20% of the electricity production by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power by the year of 2030. 63% of the plan is covered by solar power, which is expected to have a great riffle effect on the industry. Accordingly, solar power companies will be focused more in the 15th Green Energy Expo held on April 4th 2018.

○ Global players such as HUAWEI, SUNGROW and ABB headed to Daegu.

At the peak of the global solar PV market in April 2010, global energy companies such as SunTech, Yingli Solar, Siemens, DuPont, LG Electronics, Hanwha Q-CELLS, and OCI participated in the International Green Energy Expo held at Daegu EXCO in a large booth. They headed to Daegu in order to preoccupy Korea’s booming PV market as well as to start business with Korean solar companies such as Hyundai Green Energy, Shinsung E&G, HUAWEI, SUNGROW, ABB, SMA, KACO, SUNPOWER, ASTRONERGY etc.

○ Changes from equipment-oriented to system-oriented in Korean PV market.
Global companies are paying attention on Green Energy Expo, the world’s top 10, Asia top 3, and the largest PV trade fair in Korea, as a consequence of the government’s 3020 renewable energy policy. The Green Energy Expo, where a great number of global PV equipment manufacturers have participated from 2008 to 2012, has been reorganized to focus on solar power system companies along with Solar Cell, Solar module and Inverter.

In the fierce competition of global solar module companies, half of the global top 10 solar cell and module(panel) manufacturing companies in the year of 2017, have completed their application for the exhibition, and the half of the world top 10 PV inverter companies will show their products, which proves Korean solar market is growing.

○ Global TOP 5 solar inverter companies are heading to Daegu.

The world top 4 solar inverter companies defined in a report in 2017 by IHS Markit(UK), a professional global market analysis facility, take part in the event as a sponsor in a large booth. The No. 1 and No. 2 of the worldwide solar inverter supply amount(MW) are Huawei and Sungrow of China, and No. 3 is SMA Solar Technology of Germany, No. 4 is ABB of Switzerland.

KACO newenergy (Germany), GOODWE (China) and GROWATT (China) will also participate. This is the only solar show where you can meet Korean inverter manufacturers such as Dasstech, HEX power system, HEPHZIBA, Destin Power. This is because the prevailing forecast is that the size of the solar PV market in Korea will grow in the near future and the expectations on the government’s renewable energy policy are reflected.

Participation of more than the half of world top 10 global companies in the field of solar cell and panel.
At this event, more than half of global top 10 companies including JinkoSolar(Module No. 1, cell No. 5), JA solar (Module No. 4, cell No. 2), Shunfeng-Suntech(Module No. 9, cell No. 10), TW Solar(cell No. 7) and Talesun(Solar battery) have confirmed their participation. World leading companies such as SUNPOWER, ASTROnergy, Sinosolar, SOFAR, OSDA, RUNDA, ULICA, AKOME, HAIHONG, Zhongjing, Shanxi jinneng, Shandong Zhongjing and GUANTAI have also confirmed their participation. Given that, overseas major companies are expected to accelerate their entry to Korean market, which shows that Korean solar market faces the second take-off stage, and the development of the situation is paid attention to afterwards.

○ This is the right place where you can meet all Korean Solar companies.

As for Korean PV cell and module companies, Hyundai Heavy Industry Green Energy and Shinsung E&G will participate as Platinum sponsor and Silver sponsor respectively while as for Korean solar system expert companies, I-Solar & NEMO ENG, Hyundai Aluminum, CS-Tech, Kyungwon Power, Solarconnect, Ebisu, Taewoong Energy, SAMDO and Q Solar will come to the event. As for renowned Korean inverter and Energy Storage suppliers, Dasstech, Hex Power System, EKOS, HEPHZIBAH, INCELL, Destin Power, Realtech and Dahan Tech will show their high-technology based inverters and energy storage system(ESS).

○ Large scale Power Corporations are also participating

The 「3020 renewable energy implementation plan」 announced in last December is a blueprint for the government to actively foster PV & renewable energy industries and to secure sustainable energy sources. The government is preparing a strategy for the gradual implementation of large-scale project development to prepare for future energy conversion. Public energy organizations implementing and managing large-scale projects such as KEPCO, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.(KHNP) and Korea South-East Power Co., Ltd. will join the event with large-scale booths as a RPS(Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard) business.

○ Introducing of Energy start-up companies by KEPCO.
There are also energy start-up companies discovered and supported by KEPCO. About 10 companies including SUNSOFT, Solarconnect, Sun & Wind Energy, and Energy Planet, who are equipped with renewable energy technologies and products such as solar cell equipment, software and wind power come in with a special booth as an energy start-up and that will be used as a stage for those start-ups to reach out to domestic and overseas markets.

International conferences and a variety of events with experts
A wide range of high-quality programs are simultaneously held on largest scale ever. Along with the ‘RE 3020 policy’, various events are held for 3 days, for vitalization of solar in rural areas, discovery of new energy industries based on core technologies of the 4th industry, and support of overseas market entry of enterprises of middle standing and small and mid-sized companies.

The Asia Photovoltaic Industry Association (APVIA) will hold a “Global Green Energy Innovation Technology Collaboration” program on April 5th at the hall of Green Energy Expo. This is a program that selects 13 major solar photovoltaic events across the world and travels thirteen times a year to introduce new technologies and products in the major photovoltaic shows. Speakers from APVIA, GCL, SUNGROW POWER, REC Solar, Suntech Power, EMAX power, Destin Power, KOPIA(Korean Photovoltaic Industry Association) will cover latest technology and market trend in PV and Energy Storage market.

As training programs for dissemination of the renewable energy nationwide hosted by Korea New & Renewable Energy Center under KEA(Korea Energy Agency), the biggest 1 on 1 business meeting for solar & renewable energy companies, and technical seminars and electric safety control training hosted by Korea Electric Engineers Association are provided at the event, a number of experts from the renewable energy area are planning to visit Solar City Daegu.

“The 15th Green Energy Expo will provide ideal business platform of solar energy industry for future energy conversion along with the government renewable energy 3020 policy” said Kim Sang-Wook, the president of EXCO, and “I’m looking forward to the active participation of Korean solar major companies as global companies are accelerating their efforts in reaching out to the Korean market.” He also added a comment, “We will make efforts to create a matching program for supply expansion and new overseas market opening for Korean solar and renewable energy for enterprises of middle standing and small and medium-sized businesses.