The requirement to measure wind on-site for over a year to obtain permits for onshore wind power projects will be eliminated. Instead, applicants can now use wind data from the Korea Meteorological Administration, significantly reducing the preparation time for permit applications by more than a year.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced on September 30 that it will implement a revised regulation on the detailed permit criteria for power generation projects starting next month. This change removes the obligation to submit actual measurement data from wind measuring devices when applying for permits.
This regulatory improvement follows the government's strategy to promote onshore wind power, announced in December last year. The government aims to accelerate the development of onshore wind projects by streamlining initial permitting procedures.
As a result, project developers will no longer need to install wind measuring devices and collect data for over a year before applying for permits. Instead, they can submit data from the Korea Meteorological Administration's 'Renewable Energy Weather Information Platform,' specifically the 'Reproduced Wind Field' data.
The Reproduced Wind Field data is generated by combining artificial intelligence (AI) and numerical forecasting techniques, providing wind information for the Korean Peninsula at a spatial resolution of 1 km and 10-minute intervals for the past five years, from June 2021 to May 2026.
Previously, developers had to select a project site, install wind measuring devices, and collect data for over a year before they could apply for permits. Now, they can check the Reproduced Wind Field data after selecting a site and immediately proceed with the permit application process.
The criteria for overlapping project sites among developers will also be revised. Areas within a 2 km radius of the application coordinates will be considered overlapping, and if multiple developers apply in the same area, priority will be determined based on the overall assessment of the permit review criteria and project readiness.
However, existing regulations will still apply to developers who have already installed wind resource measuring devices before the new regulation takes effect on October 1. The new regulation also clarifies that developers can install wind resource measuring devices after obtaining permits for purposes such as bidding for main equipment or securing financing.
A ministry official stated, "Even though the obligation for actual wind measurement is removed, other review criteria necessary for obtaining permits will remain in place. The financial capability and local acceptance of developers will be assessed as before."
The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment announced on September 30 that it will implement a revised regulation on the detailed permit criteria for power generation projects starting next month. This change removes the obligation to submit actual measurement data from wind measuring devices when applying for permits.
This regulatory improvement follows the government's strategy to promote onshore wind power, announced in December last year. The government aims to accelerate the development of onshore wind projects by streamlining initial permitting procedures.
As a result, project developers will no longer need to install wind measuring devices and collect data for over a year before applying for permits. Instead, they can submit data from the Korea Meteorological Administration's 'Renewable Energy Weather Information Platform,' specifically the 'Reproduced Wind Field' data.
The Reproduced Wind Field data is generated by combining artificial intelligence (AI) and numerical forecasting techniques, providing wind information for the Korean Peninsula at a spatial resolution of 1 km and 10-minute intervals for the past five years, from June 2021 to May 2026.
Previously, developers had to select a project site, install wind measuring devices, and collect data for over a year before they could apply for permits. Now, they can check the Reproduced Wind Field data after selecting a site and immediately proceed with the permit application process.
The criteria for overlapping project sites among developers will also be revised. Areas within a 2 km radius of the application coordinates will be considered overlapping, and if multiple developers apply in the same area, priority will be determined based on the overall assessment of the permit review criteria and project readiness.
However, existing regulations will still apply to developers who have already installed wind resource measuring devices before the new regulation takes effect on October 1. The new regulation also clarifies that developers can install wind resource measuring devices after obtaining permits for purposes such as bidding for main equipment or securing financing.
A ministry official stated, "Even though the obligation for actual wind measurement is removed, other review criteria necessary for obtaining permits will remain in place. The financial capability and local acceptance of developers will be assessed as before."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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