Enactment of the Agrivoltaics Act: How a Small Korean Village Achieved 96% Energy Independence

The community-led solar farm in Solbau Village offers a blueprint for sustainable rural development.

Sejong, 20 May 2026 — On 13 May, Minister Song Miryung of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) visited Solbau Village in the Chuncheon vicinity of Gangwon Province to inspect a pioneering model for community-led solar power generation that shares profits with residents while achieving energy self-sufficiency. Minister Song also listened to the views of local residents and related stakeholders.

The trip came after the Ministry launched its Task Force for Establishing an Agricultural and Rural Energy Transition Strategy (27 April) and the National Assembly passed the Agrivoltaics Act (7 May), which established a legal framework for the dual use of agricultural land for both farming and solar power production. The on-site inspection was intended to examine energy-transition best practices firsthand and incorporate local experiences, including implementation challenges and solutions, into future policymaking.

Solbau Village in Songam-ri, the first stop on the tour, is particularly significant as a showcase for the agricultural and rural energy transition envisioned by the Ministry. The community now supplies 96 percent of its own residential and agricultural electricity demand, generating 686 MWh out of the 706 MWh required each year.

Minister Song was briefed at the village power plant, after which she remarked, “I am pleased to witness another successful example of a ‘sunshine income community,’ where residents are involved in their own solar power generation projects and share the returns locally through various community programmes. If the government can help expand this model nationwide, it could promote balanced regional development and create another income stream for rural communities.”

* Songam-ri Village Solar Farm: Operated by a village cooperative, the facility generates 657 MWh of electricity annually on converted farmland. The output is worth approximately KRW 102 million per year, which is used for community initiatives such as donations to vulnerable groups and senior welfare foundations, transportation services for elderly residents, and milk delivery programmes. 

Minister Song’s next stop was at the Solbau Eco-Friendly Rice Processing Facility. Here, Hong Seong-su, head of the Solbau Agricultural Cooperative Corporation, explained, “Constantly running large-scale rice milling machinery that consumes substantial amounts of electricity represents a significant financial burden. The current conflict in the Middle East has strengthened our conviction regarding the need for energy self-sufficiency. Although we currently generate 55 percent of our annual electricity needs ourselves, we are exploring ways to raise that figure to 100 percent.”

A meeting convened with residents at a shared-use neighborhood facility (the village hall) that had undergone energy-saving remodeling. The participants discussed the challenges and solutions involved in establishing an energy self-sufficient community. They also presented various proposals, including an expansion of government basic income support to revitalize rural localities.

Minister Song stated: “Agriculture and rural communities possess abundant resources, including farmland, reservoirs, and agricultural infrastructure. In addition, the Agrivoltaics Act, which enables increased income while preserving farmland, has recently passed the National Assembly. We remain committed to sustainable agriculture and rural communities by preserving their broader public benefits while advancing energy self-sufficiency, energy transition and power consumption efficiency in rural life and agricultural production. This way, we will also continue contributing to balanced regional development and the nation’s broader energy transition.”