• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.559-571
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• 2016

This paper studies the feasibility of renewable energy as a substitute for nuclear and energy by considering Korean customers' willingness to pay (WTP). For this analysis, we use the contingent valuation method to estimate the WTP of renewable energy, and then estimate its value using ordered logistic regression. To replace nuclear power and fossil energy with renewable energy in Korea, an average household is willing to pay an additional 102,388 Korean Won (KRW) per month (approx. US $85). Therefore, the yearly economic value of renewable energy in Korea is about 19.3 trillion KRW (approx. US $16.1 billion). Considering that power generation with only renewable energy would cost an additional 35 trillion KRW per year, it is economically infeasible for renewable energy to be the sole method of low-carbon energy generation in Korea.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.9-22
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• 2020

This study analyzed the short- and long-term effects of nuclear and renewable energy generation on CO2 emissions in Korea, Japan, and Germany from 1987 to 2016 by using the unit root test, Johansen cointegration test, and ARDL model. The unit root test was performed, and the Johansen cointegration test showed cointegration relationships among variables. In the long run, in Germany, the generation of both nuclear and renewable energy was found to affect CO2 emission reduction, while South Korea's renewable energy generation, including hydropower, increased the emissions. Japan only showed significance in fossil fuels. In the short run, in the three countries, the generation of nuclear and renewable energy, excluding hydropower, affected CO2 emission. However, in Korea and Germany, nuclear and renewable energy generation, respectively, affected CO2 emission reduction. Although the rest are significant, the results showed that they increased CO2 emissions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.1689-1695
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• 2019

This study suggests a simple economic model to analyze electricity grid that consists of different power sources. The substitutability of renewable energy for nuclear power in Korean electricity transmission network is investigated by suggested model. The monthly data from January 2006 to December 2013 reported by Electricity Power Statistics Information System (EPSIS) of Korea Power EXchange (KPX) are used. To estimate the elasticities of substitution among four power sources (i.e. coal, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewable energy), this paper uses the trans-log cost function model on which local concavity restrictions are imposed. The estimated Hicks-Allen and Morishima elasticity of substitution shows that renewable electricity and nuclear power are complementary. The results also evidenced that renewable electricity and fossil fueled thermal power generation are substitutes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.8
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• pp.2883-2897
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• 2022

According to the Renewable Energy 3020 Implementation Plan announced in 2017 by the South Korean government, the electricity share of renewable energy will be expanded to 20% of the total electricity generation by 2030. Given the intermittency of electricity generation from renewable energy, realization of such a plan presents challenges to managing South Korea's isolated national electric grid and implies potentially large excess electricity generation in certain situations. The purpose of this study is: 1) to develop a model to accurately simulate the effects of excess electricity generation from renewables which would arise during the transition, and 2) to propose strategies to manage excess electricity generation through effective utilization of domestic electricity generating capabilities. Our results show that in periods of greater PV and wind power, namely the spring and fall seasons, the frequency of excess electricity generation increases, while electricity demand decreases. This being the case, flexible operation of coal and nuclear power plants along with LNG and pumped-storage hydroelectricity can be used to counterbalance the excess electricity generation from renewables. In addition, nuclear energy plays an important role in reducing CO₂ emissions and electricity costs unlike the fossil fuel-based generation sources outlined in the 8th Basic Plan.

• Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2014

The Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011 had an extensive impact on the national electricity plans. This paper outlines alternative electricity scenarios that meet the goals of nuclear phase-out and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction. This paper also analyzes the results of each scenario in respect to the electricity mix, GHG emissions, costs and employment effects. The Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning system (LEAP) model was used to simulate the annual electricity demand and supply system from 2011 to 2030. The reference year was 2009. Scenarios are reference (where existing plans are continued), A1, A2, B1, B2, and C2 (where the levels of demand management and nuclear phase-out are different). The share of renewable energy in the electricity mix in 2030 for each scenario will be increased from about 1% in 2009 to 8% in the reference scenario and from 11% to 31% in five alternative scenarios. Total cumulative cost increases up to 14% more than the reference scenario by replacing nuclear power plants with renewable energy in alternative scenarios could be affordable. Deploying enough renewable energy to meet such targets requires a roadmap for electricity price realization, expansion of research, development and deployment for renewable energy technologies, establishment of an organization dedicated to renewable energy, and ambitious targets for renewable energy.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.607-625
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• 2021

The objective of this study is to estimate the relationship between CO₂ emissions and both nuclear power and renewable energy generation, and compare the cost efficiencies of nuclear power and renewable energy generation in reducing CO₂ emissions in Korea. The results show that nuclear power and renewable energy generation should be increased by 1.344% and 7.874% to reduce CO₂ emissions by 1%, respectively. Using the estimated coefficients and the levelized costs of electricity by source including the external costs, if the current amount of electricity generation is one megawatt-hour, the range of generation cost of nuclear power generation to reduce 1% CO₂ emissions is $0.72~$1.49 depending on the level of external costs. In the case of renewable energy generation, the generation cost to reduce 1% CO₂ emissions is $6.49. That is, to mitigate 1% of CO₂ emissions at the total electricity generation of 353 million MWh in 2020 in Korea, the total generation costs range for nuclear power is $254 million~$526 million for the nuclear power, and the cost for renewable energy is $2.289 billion for renewable energy. Hence, we can conclude that, in Korea, nuclear power generation is more cost-efficient than renewable energy generation in mitigating CO₂ emissions, even with the external costs of nuclear power generation.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2013

We address the power generation mix problem that considers not only nuclear and fossil fuels such as oil, coal and LNG but also renewable energy technologies. Unlike nuclear or other generation technologies, the expansion plan of renewable energy is highly uncertain because of its dependency on the government policy and uncertainty associated with technology improvements. To address this issue, we conduct a delphi survey and forecast the capacity of renewable energy. We further propose a stochastic mixed integer programming model that determines an optimal capacity expansion and the amount of power generation using each generation technology. Using the proposed model, we test eight generation mix scenarios and particularly evaluate how much the expansion of renewable energy contributes to the total costs for power generation in Korea. The evaluation results show that the use of renewable energy incurs additional costs.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.15 no.1 s.45
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• pp.14-22
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• 2006

Various pros and cons are raised as to the nuclear and renewable power portions. In order to generate scientific, objective, and comparative data, this study reviewed energy policies of some countries and derived 34 possible energy mix scenarios depending on the nuclear portion, the renewable portion and the make-up power sources. For each scenario, the unit electricity cost was calculated using the BLMP (Base Load Marginal Price) and SMP (System Marginal Price) methodology, which is currently adopted in Korean electricity market. The unit electricity cost for the current energy mix was 22.18 Won/kWh and those fir other scenarios spreaded from 19.74 to 164.07 Won/kWh excluding the transmission costs and profits of the electric utility companies. Generally, the increased nuclear power portion leads reduction in the unit electricity cost while the trend is reversed in the renewable power portion. Notable observation is that when the renewable power portion exceeds 20%, as the scenario cannot enjoy the benefit of cheap base load, the unit electricity cost at low demand time zone is increased.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.325-345
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• 2021

In this paper, we empirically evaluate the potential performance of energy conversion policy and analyze its effects on power generation sector. We first examine the degree of substitutability between energy inputs by measuring the price elasticities of energy demands and then estimate the changes in CO₂ generation when the proportions of nuclear power plants and renewable power generation are increased. The shadow prices of nuclear power and renewable energy are calculated to compare the potential costs of power generation between the two energy sources. We analyze the impacts of the expansion of nuclear power plants and renewable power generation on power supply price. Nuclear and renewable energy were measured to be complementary to each other. The expansion of nuclear power plants has been more effective in reducing CO₂ emissions than increasing renewable power generation. In most years over 2002 to 2016, the impact of nuclear power expansion on the power supply price was generally higher than that of renewable power generation, with relatively large range of fluctuations.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.587-594
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• 2023

This study investigates the impacts of nuclear energy consumption on environmental quality from a different perspective by focusing on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, ecological footprint, and load capacity factor. In this context, the South Korea case, which is a leading country producing and consuming nuclear energy, is investigated by considering also economic growth, and the 1997 Asian crisis from 1977 to 2018. To this end, the study employs the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. Different from previous literature, this study proposes a load capacity curve (LCC) and tests the LCC and environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypotheses simultaneously. The analysis results reveal that (i) the LCC and EKC hypotheses are valid in South Korea; (ii) nuclear energy has an improving effect on the environmental quality; (iii) renewable energy does not have a significant long-term impact on the environment; (iv) the 1997 Asian crisis had an increasing effect on the load capacity factor; (v) South Korea has not yet reached the turning point, identified as $55,411, where per capita income improves environmental quality. Overall, the results show the validity of the LCC and EKC hypotheses and prove the positive contribution of nuclear energy to South Korea's green development strategies.