Lee government accelerates RE100 industrial complex push with power supply study

The Lee Jae-myung government is stepping up efforts to build renewable energy self-sufficient cities — known as RE100 industrial complexes — a key national policy priority.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Thursday posted a call for bids on a research project titled "Study on Establishing a Power Supply Model for Renewable Energy Self-Sufficient Cities," according to the Public Procurement Service's procurement portal.

The project carries a budget of 50 million won ($33,100) and will run for five months from the date the contract is signed.

The government is pursuing renewable energy self-sufficient cities to help companies achieve RE100 — the use of 100 percent renewable energy — while driving regional growth and energy transition.

The ministry had earlier announced plans to begin full-scale development this year. Some observers have questioned whether ground can be broken this year, given that a special bill on the establishment and support of renewable energy self-sufficient cities remains pending in the National Assembly. The ministry, however, has said it will move forward with the project as quickly as possible once the bill passes.

In its request for proposals, the ministry said the research was needed "to establish an RE100 industrial complex power supply model that will serve as the basis for local government master plans and project implementation plans, enabling a swift project launch after the special law is enacted."

A ministry official said the research was intended to prepare for the immediate drafting of enforcement decrees and rules. "We need to identify in advance what content should be included through the research so that we can move quickly after the bill passes," the official added.

Through the study, the ministry plans to design detailed business models for delivering renewable energy power supply under the special bill.

The research will cover plans for renewable energy generation projects, the construction of distributed power grids, and the installation and operation of energy storage systems.

It will also examine direct power purchase agreements for renewable energy, tariff structures and guidelines for supplementary power supply.

The research was commissioned by the ministry's newly established Trans-Regional Industrial Cooperation Division, set up July 1 to handle policy related to the mega special zone law and RE100 industrial complexes.

The government has pushed regional balanced development through megaprojects spanning semiconductors, physical AI and AI data centers, alongside the renewable energy self-sufficient city initiative. The creation of a dedicated division is expected to give fresh momentum to policy design.