Title of Dissertation: national renewable energy policy

Figure 30. 
Energy production in South Korea, 2002-2014. 
Source: New and Renewable Energy Korea, https://www.renewableenergy.or.kr/ 
While solar PV accounts for a small share of renewable energy, it has created a 
larger industry compared to other renewable energy sources. Figure 31 shows that solar 
PV has generated about 70 percent of the sales of renewable energy products in 2013. 
Since the mid-2000s, the number of solar PV corporations and the sales of solar PV 
products have significantly increased (Figure 32). Although the size of solar PV industry 
has shrunk in terms of sales, exports, and the number of companies in 2012 and 2013, 
solar PV still has the largest share in the renewable energy industry in South Korea. 
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toe
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Wind
Waste
Bio Energy
New and Renewable Energy
Primary Energy

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158 
Figure 31. 
Sales of renewable energy products in South Korea, 2004-2013. 
Source: New and Renewable Energy Korea; Korea Energy Agency 
Figure 32. 
Number of Solar PV corporations, sales, and exports, 2004-2013. 
 
Source: New and Renewable Energy Korea; Korea Energy Agency 
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2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
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159 
Manufacturing has been the base of the solar PV industry in South Korea. As of 
June 2015, more than 60 percent of the members of the KOPIA are manufacturers 
(Figure 33). Manufacturers of components and equipment accounted for 28 percent of the 
solar PV corporations. However, most of the corporations have conducted solar business 
as one of their businesses and the share of solar PV business was not significant in terms 
of revenue. Thus, these corporations tend not to be referred as solar PV corporations. 
Installers have the same issue. Many installers have entered into the solar PV market 
based on their experience in other business area, and the share of solar PV business was 
not very significant compared to the other businesses. Some corporations conduct solar 
PV projects as main business, but the size of them is small due to their short history.