KT signs up for RE100 and initiative's 2050 carbon goals

KT signed up for the RE100 initiative, a global campaign to replace all electricity generated by fossil fuels with renewable energy by 2050.

A KT employee poses for a photo in front of solar panels installed at the company's office building in Gwanak District, southern Seoul. [KT]

KT signed up for the RE100 initiative, a global campaign to replace all electricity generated by fossil fuels with renewable energy by 2050.

KT said Tuesday that its application to join the RE100 was approved by the project board, after the company announced that it will be joining the campaign last year. SK Telecom became a RE100 member in December 2020 with other SK companies.

RE100, short for Renewable Energy 100 percent, was started in 2014 by The Climate Group in partnership with the Carbon Disclosure Project. The goal is to encourage global corporations to run on 100 percent renewable electricity by 2050. As of June, some 370 corporations worldwide have joined the campaign, including Apple, Google, Microsoft and General Motors.

Base stations and data centers use most of the electricity consumed by telecommunication companies. KT aims to set up the system to implement the RE100 action plan by 2025, and meet the 40-percent goal by 2030 through a range of methods including procuring renewable energy from suppliers and purchasing renewable energy credits.

“KT Corporation’s commitment to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2050 is part of a growing number of South Korean businesses that are driving the demand for renewable electricity in the country,” said Sam Kimmins, director of energy at The Climate Group. “As a leading telecommunications company, KT Corporation sends a strong demand signal to other businesses and competitors that renewables are the way forward.”

LG U+ announced Sunday that it will join the K-RE100, the local version of the RE100 initiative led by the government, with the goal of converting to 100 percent renewable electricity by 2050.

The company plans to replace 53 percent of fossil fuel-based energy to renewable one by 2030. To meet the 100-percent renewable electricity goal by 2050, LG U+ aims to cut carbon emissions by 25 percent and replace the remaining 75 percent with renewable energy.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]