Reduce operating costs by predicting power generation using an AI analysis engine.

KT will launch the 'GiGA energy Gen-Solar Power O&M (Operation & Management)' service in July, which will monitor and manage the power production status of small and medium-sized solar power plants in real time to increase operational efficiency, and will begin pre-sales in May.

While there are approximately 30,000 solar power plants in Korea, most are small and medium-sized businesses, lacking the personnel and systems necessary for operation and maintenance. Consequently, sudden fluctuations in power generation due to equipment failure or foreign matter make it difficult to immediately respond. This inevitably leads to a decline in profitability, as optimal power generation efficiency cannot be maintained.

KT's "GiGA energy Gen-Solar Power O&M" program, operated by KT-MEG (Micro Energy Grid), an integrated energy management platform located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, monitors the power generation status of solar power plants in real time and maintains optimal operating conditions. Furthermore, in the event of equipment failure or anomalies, customers are immediately notified. If necessary, field personnel located in six nationwide headquarters (Gangbuk, Gangnam, Busan, Honam, Daegu, and Chungcheong) can be dispatched to take immediate action.

Additionally, KT-MEG's artificial intelligence analysis engine 'e-Brain' analyzes energy big data to provide data necessary for reducing operating costs and managing profitability, such as power generation forecasts and performance reports. In addition, by linking with drone thermal imaging or intelligent CCTV, the exact location and cause of the failure can be identified.

KT is also a renewable energy provider, having built around 300 solar power plants since 2008, including around 50 idle facilities at its own facilities, including the Gangneung and Hwaseong transmission stations and the Dongbu and Honam logistics centers, and around 250 customer facilities. While KT has provided operations management services for these 300 solar power plants, starting in July, the company plans to expand this service to include small- and medium-sized solar power plants (less than 1 MW) not built by KT.

In addition to the service launch, the company plans to further enhance its solar power O&M service by utilizing its own solar power plants as test beds to verify various solutions, such as precision control and module coating using IoT sensing technology, and continuously developing technologies for fault management and improved power generation efficiency.

KT's "GiGA Energy Gen-Solar Power O&M" service fee ranges from 20,000 won to 100,000 won per month for power plants under 1MW, depending on the plant's capacity and management scope. (See attached rate table.)

Kim Young-myeong, executive director of KT's Smart Energy Business Unit, said, "Solar power generation is a business that requires long-term operation for more than 20 years, so stable operation and maintenance are essential. “While there is a lot of interest in solar power generation, most of it is focused on large-scale sites and construction, so maintenance services essential for increasing power generation efficiency are still in their infancy,” he said. “KT will contribute to the solar power generation business with differentiated O&M services based on its energy ICT capabilities and nationwide organization and personnel.”

Meanwhile, KT is establishing a partnership with domestic small and medium-sized companies possessing core technologies to enter the solar power O&M market. On April 20th, KT signed a business agreement with Daeyeon C&I, a company specializing in solar power monitoring and digital access panels. KT will provide the "KT-MEG Platform" for solar power plant maintenance, while Daeyeon C&I will collaborate to supply channel control access panels and expand its customer base.