First Renewable Energy Day ceremony as national holiday draws 63 honorees

South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy held this year's Renewable Energy Day ceremony Friday afternoon at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

It was the first ceremony since Oct. 23 — observed annually as Renewable Energy Day — was designated an official national holiday.

The date was chosen to mark the World Renewable Energy Congress held in Seoul on Oct. 23, 2019. It became a statutory holiday after a revision to the government's regulations on national commemorative days was promulgated Tuesday.

About 300 people attended the ceremony, held under the theme "Sunlight, Wind and the Future."

The event included the presentation of 12 government commendations — including medals — and 15 ministerial citations from the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, recognizing individuals who contributed to the development and dissemination of renewable energy technology and the growth of the industry. Kim Ki-hong, an executive at Hanwha Solutions who helped lay the commercial groundwork for next-generation perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit. Jeong Seung-young, a division head at the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning, received the Bronze Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit for leading international joint research on renewable energy and hosting the Mission Innovation ministerial meeting.

An awards ceremony for an AI short-form video competition — held from Aug. 21 to Sept. 28 in conjunction with Renewable Energy Day — was also held at the event.

Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy Lee Ho-hyun said the world stands at a historic turning point, moving from "the age of oil" to "the age of electricity," and that the ability to secure clean, affordable and stable power will determine the fate of companies and nations alike.

He called on industry, academia, civil society and the public at large to join forces in driving a renewable energy-centered energy transition.