Korea Zinc Secures 20-Year Supply of Eco-Friendly Power from Domestic Solar Plants

Annual Supply of 11 GWh via Hanwha Shinhan Terawatt Hour

Reduction of 4,200 Tons of Carbon Emissions per Year...Equivalent to 2,100 Passenger Cars

Goryeo Zinc Onsan Smelter Exterior. Goryeo Zinc

Korea Zinc (Chairman Choi Yoon-Bum) announced on September 29 that it has signed a contract to receive an annual supply of 11 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of eco-friendly energy from solar power plants operated in Gangwon, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongbuk provinces through Hanwha Shinhan Terawatt Hour, in which Korea Zinc holds a 33.3% stake through a strategic partnership aimed at expanding its eco-friendly energy business.

According to the agreement, the supply of eco-friendly energy will take place over 20 years, beginning in December 2026. The supply price will remain the same throughout the contract period. Korea Zinc expects to achieve long-term cost savings, considering future trends in industrial electricity rates.

Korea Zinc explained that as a result of this contract, by replacing a portion of its energy consumption with eco-friendly energy, it will be able to reduce its annual carbon emissions by approximately 4,200 tons. This reduction is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions produced by around 2,100 passenger cars.

Thus far, Korea Zinc has diversified its eco-friendly energy portfolio in both Korea and overseas, covering solar, wind, and green hydrogen energy.

A representative example is the completion of a 124-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Australia in 2018, which supplies eco-friendly energy to the local Sun Metals Smelter. The plant generates approximately 261 GWh annually, supplying about 25% of Sun Metals Smelter's total electricity needs. With additional power purchase agreements concluded since then, the smelter now covers approximately 50% of its power needs with eco-friendly energy.

In 2024, Korea Zinc invested in the MacIntyre Wind Farm, a large-scale wind power project in Australia, securing a 30% stake. Once the MacIntyre Wind Farm begins full commercial operations, the proportion of eco-friendly energy used by Sun Metals Smelter is expected to increase further.

This year, Korea Zinc plans to start operation of SunHQ, a green hydrogen production and refueling facility in Australia. Green hydrogen produced from eco-friendly energy at this facility is intended to contribute to the expansion of hydrogen mobility.

At the Onsan Smelter, Korea Zinc has installed the nation's first hydrogen refueling station for hydrogen forklifts within a national industrial complex, and has introduced hydrogen forklifts at the facility.

A Korea Zinc official commented, “In addition to purchasing eco-friendly energy, we plan to further accelerate carbon reduction by establishing a diverse energy portfolio that includes solar, wind, and green hydrogen. In the long term, we will continue driving the transition to eco-friendly energy at the Onsan Smelter by considering the conversion of green hydrogen produced in Australia into green ammonia for domestic use.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.