Korea Zinc secures 20-year solar energy contract to reduce carbon emissions

Korea Zinc has signed a 20-year agreement with Hanwha Shinhan TeraWatt Hour to secure 11GWh of eco-friendly solar energy annually from plants located in Gangwon, Gyeonggi, and Gyeongbuk provinces. The contract, which begins in December, features a fixed supply price to mitigate long-term industrial electricity cost fluctuations and is expected to reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately 4,200 tons.

This initiative is part of the company’s broader strategy to expand its renewable energy portfolio both domestically and internationally. In Australia, Korea Zinc already supplies about 50% of the power used by its Sun Metals Smelter through solar energy. The company plans to increase this share by utilizing its 30% stake in the McIntyre Wind Farm and launching the Sun H2Q green hydrogen production and charging facility later this year.

Domestically, Korea Zinc is advancing its energy transition at the Onsan Smelter by implementing hydrogen forklifts and charging stations. The company is also evaluating long-term plans to convert Australian-produced green hydrogen into green ammonia for import to South Korea.