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Resource Library

Renewable energy and ESG resources for Korean suppliers

Official guides on buyer ESG and CBAM compliance, K-RE100 procurement, and KEPCO electricity costs — curated for companies that supply Korean manufacturers.

🏭 Buyer ESG & CBAM compliance

17 resources · 6 explainers

For responding to a buyer’s ESG or CBAM requirement

Source⭐ FeaturedKorea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) · Public institution

Scope 3 Emissions Calculation Guide for the Semiconductor Industry

This document is written squarely for our target audience. It includes a semiconductor value chain map, a list of upstream raw materials and equipment, and materiality priorities — giving you a direct sense of what to prepare for a client's Scope 3 data request.

Document in Korean

Source 2025.03

Download⭐ FeaturedOur own resource

How Apple Brought 320 Suppliers to Renewable Power

We analysed Apple's official Supplier Clean Energy Program documents (EPR 2024, CoC v5) from the perspective of Korean semiconductor and electronics suppliers — for when a client has raised an RE100 requirement and you're unsure how far Apple's supplier standards actually go.

Document in Korean

2026.06 · PDF · 542KB

SourceKOTRA Brussels Korea Business Center · Public institution

EU CBAM: Implementing Regulations and the Strengthening Amendments

Our library's earlier CBAM material was still based on the transitional-period rules. This document compiles the implementing regulations issued once full enforcement from 2026 was confirmed, filling that gap. It's an article-by-article commentary, so it isn't an easy read, but the final chapter, "What Companies Need to Know," can be read on its own first.

Document in Korean

Source 2026.01

InsightSignals from abroad

"We Make Semiconductors, So CBAM Isn't Our Problem" — Check Your Export Declaration First

CBAM applies by product (CN code), not by industry. Semiconductor devices and equipment aren't covered, but processed steel and aluminum products such as screws, bolts, and metal structures already are. This piece covers, based on the guidance for non-EU operators published by the European Commission, the steps for determining coverage using your export declaration certificate.

2026.08

DownloadOur own resource

What SK hynix Asks of Its Suppliers on Carbon and RE100

We analysed SK hynix's 2024 Sustainability Report from the perspective of tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers.

Document in Korean

2026.06 · PDF · 346KB

SourceMinistry of Climate, Energy and Environment · Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) · Government ministry

Casebook: Organizational Boundaries and Scope 1-2 Emissions Calculation

When a client asks for emissions data, many companies get stuck on "where does our organizational boundary end." This government casebook uses examples to show how companies without direct measurement data can still make estimates. It covers cases that are genuinely confusing in practice, like commuter buses and franchise outlets.

Document in Korean

Source 2026.03

InsightSignals from abroad

There Is a Ceiling on What a Buyer Can Ask: The Line the EU Omnibus Drew

The EU Omnibus revision put a cap on the ESG information a client company can demand from its suppliers. Suppliers with 1,000 or fewer employees cannot be required to provide information beyond the voluntary SME standard, and contract clauses that force this are unenforceable. This piece lays out the underlying provisions article by article.

2026.07

DownloadOur own resource

What Samsung Electronics Asks of Its Suppliers on Carbon and RE100

We analysed Samsung Electronics' official documents from the perspective of tier-1 and tier-2 suppliers.

Document in Korean

2026.06 · PDF · 1.5MB

SourceApple · Company

Apple Supplier Code of Conduct

It requires manufacturing suppliers to source 100% of Apple-related production electricity from renewable energy, and even specifies which types of renewable energy are recognized. It also requires annual reporting of emissions and targets, with third-party verification. Treat it as a baseline for gauging how demanding a client's requirements can get.

Document in Korean

Source 2025.11

InsightSignals from abroad

EU CBAM Goes Live: What It Means for the Semiconductor Supply Chain

Finished semiconductor products aren't yet directly covered by CBAM. But as CBAM enters full implementation in 2026 and its scope expands to downstream products, the semiconductor supply chain is coming within reach of carbon-data requirements too. This piece covers CBAM's phase-in schedule, the products currently covered, and what to prepare now.

2026.07

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☀️ Getting started with K-RE100

17 resources · 8 explainers

For starting to procure renewable energy

Source⭐ FeaturedKorea Energy Agency · Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Corporate Renewable Energy Support Center) · Public institution

RE100 Handbook for Korean Companies

Starts from what RE100 actually is. Each of the five implementation options is explained in order — concept, purchase procedure, practical steps, support programs — making it a good first document for anyone newly handed such a request from a client. Note that it is current as of July 2024 and does not reflect later policy changes.

Document in Korean

Source 2024.07

Source⭐ FeaturedKorea Energy Agency · Public institution

Company Registration Manual for the Renewable Energy Use Certificate

The only document that walks through the process click by click, from signing up for the management system, to submitting performance data, to issuing the usage certificate — a supplier staffer can follow it exactly as written.

Document in Korean

2026.07

InsightProcurement options

Rooftop Solar on a Korean Factory: The Permits, in Order

Self-consumption solar doesn't require a power generation business license. Permitting for rooftop solar on a factory proceeds in this order: construction plan filing, pre-use inspection, KEPCO grid interconnection, and development permit. Based on the original statutory text, this piece covers the procedures required at each capacity tier, surplus power rules, and cost items that are easy to overlook.

2026.09

SourceCorporate Renewable Energy Support Center (commissioned by Korea Energy Agency, operated by KCCI) · Public institution

Guide to Renewable Energy Matching Products in Korea

This is for after you've chosen an option — it covers where to actually apply. It uses cases to show what form the matching between suppliers and buyers actually takes as a product. It does not explain what RE100 is, so it's best read after the "RE100 Handbook."

Document in Korean

Source 2025.01

InsightProcurement options

Rooftop Solar or Direct PPA: Which Pays Back Faster for a Korean Plant?

Factory rooftop self-generation and a direct PPA are both recognized as 100% RE100 solutions, and the choice comes down to three factors: site, capital, and how long the business will run. Using a 5,000MWh supplier example, this piece compares 20-year ROI, when combining self-generation with a PPA works best, and includes a 5-minute self-check.

2026.06

SourceCorporate Renewable Energy Initiative (CoREi) · Industry association

Corporate Renewable Energy Procurement Guidelines

This is nearly the only Korean-language document that compares all four options — green premium, REC, PPA, and self-generation — in one place. We recommend reading it first, before the individual regulations, to get the overall lay of the land. Note that it dates from 2024, before the December 2025 PPA notice revision, so check the notice itself for detailed requirements.

Document in Korean

Source 2024.01

InsightProcurement options

K-RE100's Five Compliance Routes Compared: Which Mix Fits Your Plant

K-RE100 has five implementation options: green premium, REC purchase, third-party PPA, equity investment, and self-generation. This piece compares each option by cost, timeline, risk, and level of global recognition, and covers recommended combinations by company size and situation. RE100 isn't about picking one option — it's about designing a portfolio.

2026.06

SourceKorea Energy Agency, New & Renewable Energy Center · Public institution

Rules on REC Issuance and Market Operation

This is the authoritative rulebook for REC issuance and market operation. The RE100 certificate trading market also follows these rules. It's the May 2026 revision, so when reviewing a REC purchase, checking conditions against this document is the accurate approach.

Document in Korean

Source 2026.05

SourceKorea Power Exchange (KPX) · Public institution

Standard Contract for Direct Power Trading

A public template you can use as a reference when drafting a direct PPA contract for the first time. It's also useful for checking whether clauses are missing from a contract proposed by a power provider. It's the 2023 edition, and whether it reflects the December 2025 notice revision has not been confirmed.

Document in Korean

Source 2023.06

SourceMinistry of Climate, Energy and Environment · Government ministry

Public Notice on Direct Power Trading of Renewable Electricity

This is the legal basis for direct PPAs. Participation requirements and trading methods are set out here, so you can check whether the contract terms proposed by a power provider match the notice. Following the December 2025 revision, jurisdiction moved to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment.

Document in Korean

Source 2025.12

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💰 Cutting electricity costs

4 resources · 19 explainers

For lowering your electricity and energy costs

SourceKorea Energy Agency · Public institution

ESCO Programme: Support for Energy Service Companies

This is a route to replacing equipment with high-efficiency alternatives without upfront investment, worth considering for suppliers short on cash who need to fund efficiency upgrades.

Document in Korean

2026.07

DownloadOur own resource

Electricity Use Across Korea's Semiconductor Belt

A map of electricity use in the electronic components manufacturing industry (C26), based on public statistics.

Document in Korean

2026.06 · PDF · 123KB

SourceKorea Energy Agency · Public institution

Energy Supporter: Energy Audits and Technical Guidance for SMEs

A free on-site diagnosis and energy-saving guidance program for small and mid-sized companies using under 2,000 TOE a year — support that suppliers without a dedicated team or budget can use right away.

Document in Korean

2026.07

InsightElectricity costs

South Korea Energy Market Guide 2026

A practical guide to South Korea's industrial electricity tariffs, K-RE100, renewable electricity procurement, corporate PPA, carbon costs and energy decisions for global manufacturers.

2026.10

DownloadOur own resource

K-RE100: Five Compliance Routes Compared

Compares all five options — green premium, REC, third-party PPA, direct PPA, and self-generation — on one page, by cost, scope of recognition, and who each fits best.

Document in Korean

2026.06 · PDF · 164KB

InsightElectricity costs

Do "Power Saver" Devices Actually Cut a Korean Factory Bill?

The amount an electricity-saving device can cut through power factor improvement is, by regulation, at most 1.0% of the basic charge. Peak reduction has no effect for low-voltage customers. This piece covers the conditions under which the device actually works and how to verify results before and after installation.

2026.09

InsightElectricity costs

How to Download Your Plant's Electricity Data from KEPCO

You can download 15-minute interval usage curves from KEPCO's PowerPlanner. Older data isn't kept indefinitely, so if you don't download it now, it can't be recovered later. This piece covers the gap between metered values and billed usage, and which month to check first.

2026.09

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External portal

Korean government support programs

These Korean government portals list open energy and carbon support programs on a rolling basis. Deadlines and eligibility are set by each portal — check there for the current status. The portals themselves are in Korean.

Upcoming regulatory dates

D-day is calculated automatically from today · Red has a direct cost or certification impact.

D-82CBAM certificate sales beginCost/cert.27.02.01
D-323Annual CBAM report deadline (2026 imports)Cost/cert.27.09.30

※ Regulatory dates can change — verify with the responsible authority’s official notice before relying on them.

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