Spatial analysis of Urban land use impact on new solar photovoltaic capacity: A case study of South Korea

Abstract

High urban development density poses both challenges and opportunities for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. This study analyzes the impact of urban land use on new solar PV capacity and provides urban planning insights for achieving carbon neutrality in cities. Spatial regression was conducted for 229 local governments in South Korea as of 2021. The results show that a 1% increase in the proportion of residential areas leads to a 1.3% increase in capacity, while a 1% increase in the proportion of commercial areas results in a 3.9% decrease in capacity. Subsidies and ordinances were found to have no statistically significant effect on capacity. The study findings highlight two key implications: first, policies are needed to promote solar PV adoption in commercial and industrial areas; second, institutional factors must be strengthened to play a more effective role.