Does North Korea still use solar power?

In this installment of our series on North Korea’s energy sector, we move away from official and commercial uses of solar and seek to understand the growing use of solar power for personal energy consumption in a country where its people still suffer from an unreliable power supply nationwide.

Does North Korea have energy security challenges?

Access to solar panels has created capacity where the state falls short, but the overall energy security challenges facing the nation are daunting. This report, “North Korea’s Energy Sector,” is a compilation of articles published on 38 North in 2023 that surveyed North Korea’s energy production facilities and infrastructure.

Can solar power solve North Korea's energy problems?

Jeong-hyeon, a North Korean escapee, told the Financial Times that many residents in Hamhung, the second-most populous city, “relied on a solar panel, a battery and a power generator to light their houses and power their television”. But solar power is still only a partial solution to the country’s energy woes.

Does North Korea have a good energy sector?

North Korea’s energy sector requires a lot of attention. North Korea struggles to meet energy demands as domestic energy production and consumption have been generally declining for years. As of 2020, 48% of the North Korean population did not have access to electricity, and in 2016, only 10.8% had access to clean fuel for cooking.

How many solar panels are there in North Korea?

The Korea Energy Economics Institute in Seoul estimates that 2.88mn solar panels, mostly small units used to power electronic devices and LED lamps, are now in use across North Korea, accounting for an estimated 7 per cent of household power demand.

How will solar power help North Korea's rural communities?

Solar panels and wind turbines are off-grid energy sources, meaning that their generated energy will be able to power nearby rural communities rather than large military and industrial sites. This will be especially helpful to improve the living standards of North Korea’s rural residents.