Marine Spatial Map for Floating Offshore Wind in South Korea Adopting IEA Wind Task 49 Reference Designs for Floating Wind

As efforts to mitigate climate change continue to face delays, the scale and urgency of the energy transition required to limit global temperature rise to 1.5–2 degrees Celsius by 2100 are increasing significantly. Wind and solar power are South Korea’s most abundant renewable energy resources, yet the transition to wind energy has been hindered by economic, social, and stakeholder challenges. To address these issues, the “Special Act on Offshore Wind Power” is being developed to streamline regulations and support offshore wind energy projects through measures such as government-led planned sites. Supporting this legislation, a high-resolution digital map is being developed to provide feasibility data, including marine spatial information, environmental and ecosystem data, fishing activity data, wind resource mapping, and economic feasibility analyses. The map will extend to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and deep waters suitable for floating wind systems. This study focuses on evaluating the economic feasibility of potential sites for floating wind farms in shallow to deep waters of South Korea and assists developing strategies for cost-effective large-scale deployment. By integrating progress from the IEA Wind Task 49 on the reference design of floating wind arrays for different depths, this research adapts international insights to South Korea’s local conditions. Additionally, it explores optimal infrastructure standards to ensure resilience against extreme weather, such as typhoons, while maintaining economic viability. The findings will prepare providing actionable strategies to advance the large-scale deployment of floating wind systems, contributing to South Korea’s carbon neutrality goal by 2050.