Gas Stations Allowed to Store Solar Power for EV Charging
Gas stations will now be able to store electricity directly produced by solar power in energy storage systems (ESS) and utilize it for electric vehicle charging services. Small LPG self-service charging stations will be established in rural areas where charging infrastructure has been insufficient due to lack of economic feasibility.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Sandbox Support Center and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources announced on Dec. 29 that they held the 2025 4th Industrial Convergence Regulatory Sandbox Review Committee and approved 8 project tasks.
The most notable project is the electric vehicle charging service using solar power generation and ESS at gas stations proposed by Pion Electric Co., Ltd. This business model involves installing solar power generation facilities on idle land at gas stations, storing the electricity produced there in ESS, and then using it for electric vehicle charging. Previously, under the current Hazardous Materials Safety Management Act, only solar power generation facilities and electric vehicle chargers could be installed at gas stations, and ESS installation was impossible due to fire risk concerns.
This resulted in limitations in stable power supply as solar power generation efficiency decreased during periods of insufficient sunlight such as nighttime or cloudy days. However, with this special case approval, it will be possible to store electricity in advance using ESS, enabling stable rapid charging services regardless of time of day or weather conditions. The KCCI explained, “We approved the demonstration special case considering the necessity of expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure using renewable energy and ESS, diversifying gas station business revenue models, and demonstrating ESS safety within gas stations,” adding “Additional conditions such as establishing safety standards through quantitative risk assessment and expert safety verification must be complied with.”
A proposal for LPG self-service mini charging station for rural residents in energy welfare blind spots also passed this review. This project, proposed by the Korea LPG Association Consortium, combines small storage tanks under 3 tons with self-service chargers.
Recently, LPG vehicle registrations have exceeded 1.85 million units (as of end of 2024), with increasing demand due to strengthened diesel vehicle regulations and discontinuation of 1-ton trucks. However, the current Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act only permits facilities with storage capacity of 15 tons or more, making it difficult to install charging stations in rural areas with low demand due to poor profitability. With this approval, mini charging stations will be installed at 16 locations in island and mountainous areas in South Jeolla Province, North Gyeongsang Province, and Gangwon Province, significantly alleviating residents’ inconvenience.
Additionally, the review committee approved various life-oriented projects that cleared regulatory hurdles, including construction of hydrogen charging stations for hydrogen electric trams, commercial CO2 washing machines (provisional permit), instant cooking and sales of companion animal feed, and shared beauty salon services.
Lee Jong-myeong, head of the Industrial Innovation Division at KCCI, said, “This is the first safe combination of “gas station + ESS,” which was called a high-risk facility combination, and this is a case solved through the innovation of vanadium ion batteries,” adding “We will actively support more innovation experiments for corporate growth next year.”
Meanwhile, through the regulatory sandbox system introduced in 2019, a total of 901 projects have received special case approval to date, and KCCI has operated the Sandbox Support Center since May 2020, supporting the approval of a total of 410 projects, including 60 this year.