A Village Powered by Sunshine: How a Rural Community Earns $7,500 a Month from Solar Energy

Goyang-ri, Yeoju, South Korea,

A small rural village in South Korea is drawing national attention for a community-led solar power model that generates steady income while funding shared welfare services for residents.

Goyang-ri, located in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, is home to about 70 households and 120 residents. By installing solar panels on community-owned assets such as the village hall, warehouses, sports facilities, and parking areas, the village operates six solar power plants with a combined capacity of 1 megawatt.

The electricity produced is sold to the national utility, Korea Electric Power Corp. After loan repayments and maintenance costs, the village records an average net profit of around 10 million won per month, depending on sunlight conditions.

Unlike conventional resident-participation solar projects that distribute profits based on individual investment shares, Goyang-ri operates its solar business as collective village property. There is no private ownership or dividend allocation; all revenue is shared through community services.

The income finances free daily lunches for residents from Monday to Saturday, operated at the village’s communal cafeteria, as well as a free shuttle bus that transports residents—particularly elderly villagers—to government offices and hospitals in downtown Yeoju. The village has also used surplus funds for group travel, cultural performances, and community activities.

Village leaders say the model was designed to avoid internal conflict and exclusion in an aging rural population. “If profits are distributed only to investors, elderly residents without capital are left out,” said the village head, explaining why the community opted for collective ownership.

The project was launched in 2021 through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s village-led solar pilot program, which offered incentives such as fixed-price power contracts, renewable energy certificate benefits, and long-term low-interest financing. However, financing proved challenging due to insufficient collateral, and several pilot villages were unable to proceed.

Goyang-ri secured funding by leveraging compensation linked to nearby infrastructure development, enabling the village to complete the project with a total investment of 16.7 billion won, including both equity and loans. Of the six villages selected for the pilot program, only Goyang-ri successfully completed the project.

Since the solar facilities began operating, village cohesion has reportedly improved as residents gather daily for meals and share common benefits. Community leaders describe the project as both an economic and social recovery initiative.

The South Korean government recently announced a plan to designate 2,500 “solar income villages” nationwide by 2030, aiming to replicate the Goyang-ri model through public land use and enhanced financial support.

As the village plans to expand its solar capacity to 5 megawatts within three years and establish a training center for visitors, Goyang-ri is emerging as a case study in combining renewable energy development with rural revitalization.