Wind and solar project permit applications submitted to Korean regional energy offices will rise by more than 40% year-on-year in the next 12 months.

With roughly 16,600 sq km of previously off-limits land reopened by a national setback cap and 129 of Korea's 228 local governments required to loosen stricter rules, developers who had shelved projects for lack of compliant sites have a clear incentive to refile en masse.