SK Telecom (017670.KS) is implementing an eco-friendly energy model that directly uses solar power generated within Korea University's Seoul campus for school operations, the company said Thursday.
The two institutions held a groundbreaking ceremony for the solar energy infrastructure the previous day. The project will install solar power generation facilities with a capacity of about 1.8 megawatts (MW) on the rooftops of 20 buildings on the campus, including the Business School Main Hall and the Lyceum. SK Telecom will oversee the integrated project, covering both the solar power generation facilities and the operating system.
Korea University expects to increase its share of renewable energy use and reduce carbon emissions from power consumption. The project is expected to cut carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by approximately 1,069 tons annually, equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by about 213,800 pine trees in a year.
SK Telecom plans to convert rooftops, which had been idle spaces on campus, into hubs for eco-friendly energy production. The company will also build control and monitoring systems to efficiently manage power generation. Through these systems, Korea University is expected to systematically manage generation volume, equipment status, and energy consumption.
SK Telecom has been expanding its business-to-business (B2B) solutions that support energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction for public institutions, universities, and corporate clients. "This project is an eco-friendly energy innovation model jointly created by a university and a company, and it holds great significance in that it can be extended to cities and industrial complexes in the future," SK Telecom Vice President Kim Gu-young said. "We expect this will become a living educational venue where students can directly experience and reflect on the values of carbon neutrality and sustainability," Korea University Vice President for Academic Affairs Chung Soon-young said.
