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World’s Biggest Wind Farm May Be Answer to Korea’s Net-Zero Dream

With a climate and topography ill-suited for large-scale wind power generation on land, the country looks out to sea for its clean energy ambitions

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The offshore substation collects and sends out electricity produced from 20 wind turbines in the Southwest Sea.

The offshore substation collects and sends out electricity produced from 20 wind turbines in the Southwest Sea.

Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

The fishing grounds where Jung Kuenbae and his forbears have caught shrimp, butterfish and croakers for three generations are going to be turned into the world’s largest offshore wind farm. He’s OK with that.

“I initially opposed the idea when the plan was proposed because it will destroy our livelihood,” said Jung, who leads a group of local fishermen in some 200 ships that drop nets in the waters off the southwestern tip of the Korean peninsula. “But I realized the project is part of the country’s transition to cleaner energy, which is something we have to come to terms with, rather than fighting against it.”