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Geocha Island

Current status, energy mix, organizations, suppliers, equipment, controls, reported specifications, and project updates—with source-level citations.

CoverageDetailed public record
Named organizations5
System facts17
Sources reviewed8
Evidence reviewed2026-07-20

The recovered Geocha Island record spans two neighboring but technically distinct Korean projects in the Geochado pair off Jindo: an AC hybrid on Donggeochado (East Geocha) and KEPCO's later low-voltage-DC demonstration on Seogeochado (West Geocha). Hyosung reports a 2016 Donggeochado microgrid with a 250 kW/500 kWh ESS. The West Geocha demonstration added 200 kW PV, 100 kW wind, 1.5 MWh storage, DC distribution, a variable-speed diesel, building-level controls, and electric vehicles, and was completed in September 2018. These phases should not be collapsed into one capacity total without an island boundary.

Research status
Both phases advanced beyond the recovered 'planning' status. Hyosung dates its East Geocha energy-island microgrid to 2016. KEPCO and technical sources say the West Geocha DC demonstration began in 2016 and was completed in September 2018; a 2021 CIRED paper reports design, construction, and operating experience. However, completion refers to a demonstration system linked to the preexisting AC supply, not proof that every community load was permanently converted to DC. No public post-2021 generation, diesel, availability, or maintenance update was located through July 2026.
Historical classification
Island
Reported capacity
See component specifications
Coordinates
34.23849, 125.94014
Evidence note: “Every company” cannot be proven from public material alone. This page lists every organization found in the recovered record and reviewed sources, preserves unknown roles, and explicitly marks undisclosed controller or equipment details.
Report missing evidenceResearch methodology

Project delivery

Who was involved in Geocha Island?

5 publicly identified organizations. Where a recovered source named a participant without explaining its work, the role remains explicitly unspecified.

Organization

Hyosung Heavy Industries

Microgrid/ESS supplier identifying a 2016 East Geocha energy-island system rated 250 kW/500 kWh. [6]

Organization

Jindo County

Local jurisdiction for Seogeochado and Donggeochado and community host for the two island energy demonstrations. [3][4]

Organization

KEPCO

Publicly named participant; role not specified in the recovered record [1]

Organization

Korea Electric Power Corporation / Korea Electric Power Research Institute

Developer and research lead for the West Geocha low-voltage-DC island demonstration, including overall architecture, EMS integration, and field testing. [3][4][8]

Organization

LS Industrial Systems / LS ELECTRIC

Industrial partner in the West Geocha DC-island demonstration, including DC distribution and conversion technology. [2][5]

System evidence

Energy mix, capacity, and specifications

Values can describe different project phases, generation sources, storage systems, or other components. Source citations are attached to each figure so discrepancies remain visible.

East Geocha ESS phase
Hyosung identifies the 2016 Geochado energy-island microgrid as 250 kW/500 kWh; an academic comparison describes 100 kW PV, a wind turbine, three 150 kW diesel generators, and a 250 kW/500 kWh BESS. Public sources reviewed do not provide a reliable wind rating or complete vendor list. [6][7]
West Geocha renewable generation
200 kW solar PV and 100 kW wind in the low-voltage-DC demonstration [3][4]
West Geocha battery storage
1.5 MWh; public project sources reviewed do not disclose power rating, chemistry, manufacturer, or model [3][4][8]
West Geocha demand and legacy supply
Approximately 100 residents in 70 households, 124 kW average load and 305 kW peak load, supplied before the DC project by three 150 kW diesel generators [3]
West Geocha new variable-speed diesel
The KEPCO presentation describes an adjustable variable-speed diesel, but its slides appear to conflict between 100 kW and 200 kW depictions. The rating is therefore left unresolved rather than treated as a firm as-built value. [3]
West Geocha DC distribution
Approximately 4 km of low-voltage DC lines with 1,500 Vdc backbone (±750 V) and lower-voltage ±190 V service/conversion levels [3][4]
West Geocha project targets
More than 70% renewable-energy contribution, approximately 490 tonnes/year CO2 reduction, and 10% efficiency improvement were project objectives; no reviewed source provides audited annual results confirming them [3][4]

Controls and hardware

Equipment and controller details

Manufacturer and model are shown only when a source names them. Generic descriptions are not converted into guessed product assignments.

01

East Geocha ESS

Hyosung Heavy Industries

Hyosung reports a 250 kW/500 kWh energy-island microgrid reference from 2016. Its public page does not identify battery chemistry or model, and the rating should not be added to West Geocha's 1.5 MWh without preserving the separate island phase. [6]

02

West Geocha DC generation and storage

Model not publicly disclosed

DC-coupled 200 kW PV, 100 kW wind, 1.5 MWh ESS, and a new adjustable-speed diesel work alongside the existing AC diesel plant. Manufacturers and specific component models are not consistently disclosed in the reviewed sources. [3][4]

03

DC distribution and conversion

LS Industrial Systems / LS ELECTRIC

The demonstration uses bipolar ±750 V distribution, lower-voltage service conversion, DC smart meters, building converters, and interfaces that allow the DC system to exchange power with the existing AC island system. [2][5][3]

04

Electric mobility and bidirectional resources

Model not publicly disclosed

The project design included five electric vehicles and three vehicle-to-grid-capable units/chargers as controllable DC resources. Public sources do not report fleet utilization or energy throughput after completion. [3]

05

Building and thermal loads

Model not publicly disclosed

Demonstration scope included DC household equipment, LED lighting, a solar wall, thermal storage, public buildings, home energy management, advanced demand response, and smart metering. [3][4]

Technical record

Architecture, performance, and project updates

Concise technical facts, milestones, operating results, and later developments. Dated notes distinguish historical design claims from current evidence.

  • Two-island boundary

    Seogeochado and Donggeochado are adjoining communities connected within the local supply context, but KEPCO literature distinguishes the West Geocha DC demonstration from an already existing East Geocha microgrid. A singular 'Geocha Island' record can therefore mask two installations and two commissioning dates. [4][6][3]

  • Hybrid AC/DC architecture

    The West Geocha system is a DC microgrid connected to the preexisting AC island network for backup and power exchange. It demonstrates reduced conversion stages for native DC generation, storage, EVs, and loads rather than eliminating the AC diesel system outright. [3][4][8]

  • Control stack

    A central EMS coordinates the power-management system, home energy-management systems, advanced demand response, smart meters, generation, storage, diesel, and EV resources. Household-level controls were part of the end-to-end demonstration architecture. [3][4]

  • Completion boundary

    Industry and research accounts say the DC system was completed in September 2018 after work beginning in June 2016. A 2019 account described demonstration loads during the trial and contemplated wider future interconnection, so 'completed' should be read as completion of the demonstration—not verified universal or permanent conversion of island service. [4][5][8]

  • Evidence boundary

    The 70% renewable share, 490-tonne CO2 reduction, and 10% efficiency gain are targets. The 2021 operating paper confirms field experience but the reviewed sources do not disclose a post-commissioning annual renewable fraction, fuel series, outage history, ESS health, or 2022-2026 operating status. [3][4][8]

Provenance

8 sources

Primary owner, government, university, supplier, and engineering sources are preferred. Archived references preserve claims whose original pages moved or disappeared.

  1. [1]
    Recovered Microgrid Projects record

    Internet Archive · Archived source · captured 2020-07-06

  2. [2]
    West Geocha DC island project profile

    Korea Smart Grid Association Smart Grid Data Center · Primary source

  3. [3]
    Overview of DC Island and KEPCO's LVDC Demonstration

    Korea Electric Power Research Institute / Microgrid Symposium · Primary source

  4. [4]
    DC Distribution Demo Projects

    T&D World / Korea Electric Power Research Institute · Primary source

  5. [5]
    KEPRI and LSIS complete West Geocha DC island demonstration

    Korea Industrial Daily · Secondary research

  6. [6]
    Hyosung Heavy Industries research and development history

    Hyosung Heavy Industries · Primary source

  7. [7]
  8. [8]

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