Bright Energy Partners (BEP) will introduce the role and outlook of renewable energy in responding to the rapidly increasing power demand driven by the expansion of the artificial intelligence (AI) industry.
At the second-day conference of 'Smart Energy Plus (SEP) 2026,' scheduled for the 29th at Hall B of COEX in Samsung-dong, Seoul, Chairman Kim Hee-seong of Bright Energy Partners will deliver a presentation on the theme "Surging Power Demand and the Role of Renewable Energy in the AI Era."
In a pre-interview with Money Today, Chairman Kim stated, "As power demand is expected to surge in the AI era, the question of which energy source will supply it has become a major issue," adding, "With the need for low-carbon transition also growing, the role of renewable energy is set to expand." He specifically noted, "Given that nuclear power takes more than 20 years and small modular reactors (SMRs) are not yet in the commercialization stage, renewable energy is the only realistic alternative."
BEP, which fully launched its business in 2020, has grown rapidly by operating a generation capacity of 1.5 GW (gigawatts), combining solar power and BESS (battery energy storage systems), within just over six years, centered on solar power generation. Beyond the scale of generation, the company directly manages the entire process from design and construction to commercial operation, and collaborates with global due diligence institutional investors to ensure compliance with quality and HSE (health, safety, and environment) standards, thereby raising the qualitative level of its assets as well. BEP's business scope extends beyond solar power. As of October, the total scale of BESS secured by the company is 270 MW (megawatts). In addition to the capacity operated alongside solar power generation assets, new orders are also increasing rapidly.
Chairman Kim viewed solar power as an energy source capable of responding swiftly to increasing power demand among renewables. He explained, "While wind power sees installations of about 200 MW per year over a period of 15 to 20 years, solar power is being installed at a rate of 4 to 5 GW annually," adding, "I believe it is realistic for solar power to meet the currently surging demand." He also predicted that as the government pushes large-scale AI projects, AI-driven power demand may increase more sharply than anticipated.
The conference will also present solutions to grid issues arising from the expansion of renewable energy adoption. It is expected to address measures to resolve potential bottlenecks caused by the saturation of the transmission and distribution system's capacity managed by KEPCO, as well as strategies for efficiently utilizing existing grids. Overseas cases from Europe and Australia may also be introduced.
Meanwhile, 'SEP 2026' is an event co-hosted by Money Today and COEX, and organized by the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum, to be held at Hall B of COEX from the 28th to the 30th. LG Group, HD Hyundai Electric, Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai Rotem, Unison, the Army, Seoul City, and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, among others, will set up booths to exhibit energy security strategies for the AI era. The electric vehicle and hydrogen vehicle strategies of Hyundai Motor, along with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and Polestar, can also be reviewed.
For the conference, senior executives from the Army's 'Energy Policy Forum,' Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, LG Electronics, POSCO Holdings, Bright Energy Partners, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On, OCI Power, and HD Hyundai Electric are scheduled to take the stage.
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