Solar company Shinsung E&G has begun a 12.9 billion won national project on offshore-environment solar power, as it moves to pre-empt the floating solar market. Shinsung E&G said on Sunday it was selected as a participating organisation for the project, "Development and demonstration of highly durable solar modules for offshore environments," overseen by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment.

The project will run for 36 months from April 2026 to March 2029. It totals 12.9 billion won, combining 9.0 billion won in government support and about 3.9 billion won in private contributions, and a consortium of 12 industry, academic and research organisations has been formed. Under the management of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning, it aims to develop offshore-only modules, conduct demonstrations in Saemangeum inner waters, and obtain KS certification.

The installation potential of domestic inner waters and reclaimed reservoirs is estimated at about 10.2 GW. But deployment is limited because there is no verified dedicated module technology. Shinsung E&G will be responsible in this project for developing process technology that implements development results from materials and parts partner organisations in actual modules. It is based on nearly 20 years of field experience since it began its solar cell business in 2008.

In addition to the offshore-environment project, it is simultaneously carrying out two national projects. They are developing RFID tag-based AI full-lifecycle history management technology, an identification technology using radio frequencies, to build a solar module recycling and reuse system, and developing module process technology that applies low-temperature processes and zero-busbar cells to modularise perovskite tandem crystalline cells, a next-generation solar cell. The recycling project aligns with the government's policy direction to promote resource circulation for solar panels.

A Shinsung E&G official said, "The current R&D is a process of preparing the market in 3 to 5 years, and in addition we are working to develop and research in various areas." The official added, "Along with government policy directions such as 100 GW of renewable energy, carbon neutrality and resource circulation for end-of-life modules, we will also present, at the corporate level, the path the solar industry should take."