Net Zero or Zero Chance? PV in Korea, Japan, and China, and Implications for Policy

Compared with the Paris Agreement, in which countries agreed to reduce carbon emissions, the current paradigm is shifting to the pursuit of carbon neutrality, which has cost implications for carbon positive beyond reduction. In order to actively respond to climate change, global regulations and corporate management activities have changed, and as a result, the global economic order is being reorganized with a focus on carbon neutrality. Major countries are promoting the simultaneous achievement of economic revitalization and carbon neutrality through green industry development. In particular, Korea, Japan, and China, the economies of which feature a strong manufacturing sector and energy-intensive industrial structures, as well as insufficient energy resources, face many challenges in transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy. From this point of view, this article examines the carbon-neutral policies of Korea, Japan, and China, summarizes the potential and current status of each country’s photovoltaic (PV) sector, and identifies implications for policy these findings carry for Korea.