South Korea

The selected projects will be eligible for EU funding from the Connecting Europe Facility and will benefit from streamlined approval and regulatory processes.

Dongkuk CM has introduced an ultra-high-reflectivity color steel sheet designed to boost the performance of bifacial rooftop PV systems, increasing solar reflectance to 80–85. The new material also offers enhanced corrosion resistance, long-term durability, and added cooling benefits thanks to its advanced plating and dual-layer design, according to the manufacturer.

South Korean solar inverter makers have jointly launched a new association of inverter manufacturers to coordinate domestic production, safeguard local expertise, and address import-driven market issues and grid stability challenges.

Korean researchers revealed that efficiency losses in heterojunction solar cells arise from two coexisting defect types – dangling bonds and weak silicon-silicon bonds. Their findings explain how hydrogenated amorphous silicon passivation help mitigate these defects and improve cell performance.

South Korea has allocated KRW 33.6 billion ($22.8 million) for R&D on perovskite-silicon tandem solar technology with a goal of commercializing 28%-efficient modules by 2030, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The Ihma Dam solar project is South Korea’s largest floating PV array located alongside a multi-purpose dam. The project features a resident-participation model allowing those living within a one kilometer radius to share profits from its power supply.

The South Korean government says all public parking lots larger than 1,000 square meters will be required to install solar power systems from the end of this month, as part of a nationwide policy to accelerate renewable energy adoption in urban areas.

Germany’s Federal Court of Audit (Bundesrechnungshof) says the nation’s hydrogen strategy is falling short despite heavy subsidies, while Pulsenics and Endua have launched the first commercial AI-based monitoring system to improve electrolyzer performance under fluctuating renewable power conditions.

The country’s National Institute of Technology and Standards said the new standards apply to modules that combine photovoltaic and solar thermal technologies in a single device, noting that separate standards for each technology already exist.

South Korea has announced plans to introduce legislation next year to expand the deployment of agrivoltaics, enabling broader use of solar panels on agricultural land.