• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.3-21
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• 2010

By the significant structural change in 1999, a partial privatization has occurred in Korean fossil-fuel power generation sector. Under the current price scheme wholesale electricity price is dependent on output size, and hence, may not satisfy the assumption of price-taking producers. The purpose of our study is constructing the productivity change measurements of Korean power generation sector taking into account possibly imperfect competition and variable returns to scale. Our approach based on Harrison (1994) and Levinsohn (1993) derives the plant-level productivity measurements of the period between 2001 and 2007, as well as the measurements of mark-ups and returns to scale. It is shown that the mark-up size is dependent on the plants' fuel type and is decreasing over time. Allowing for imperfect competition and variable returns to scale adjusts the productivity measurements substantially.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.522-533
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• 2012

This paper presents an adaptive strategy of GENCOs for reducing the greenhouse gas by fuel mix change. Fuel mix stands for generation capacity portfolio composed of different fuel resources. Currently, the generation sector of power industry in Korea is heavily dependent on fossil fuels, therefore it is required to change the fuel mix gradually into more eco-friendly way based on renewable energies. The generation costs of renewable energies are still expensive compared to fossil fueled resources. This is why the adaptive change is more preferred at current stage and this paper proposes an optimal strategy for capacity planning based on multiple environmental scenarios on the time horizon. This study used the computer program tool named GATE-PRO (Generation And Transmission Expansion PROgram), which is a mixed-integer non-linear program developed by Hongik university and Korea Energy Economics Institute. The simulations have been carried out with the priority allocation method in the program to determine the optimal mix of NRE(New Renewable Energy). Through this process, the result proposes an economic fuel mix under emission constraints compatible with the greenhouse gas mitigation policy of the United Nations.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.50-57
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• 2009

The Kyoto Protocol finally entered into force in 2008. In this respect, it is imperative to explore different options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for developing countries under the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. One of the main sources of $CO_2$ gas emission is fossil fueled power plants, thereby emission reduction could be achieved by substituting fossil fuel by non-fossil fuel sources on electric power generation sector. This paper presents the method for evaluating the effectiveness of emissions trading by fuel mix change. The cost of Fuel mix is formulated considering the economic effects of emission trading in electricity market. And the optimal fuel mix is proposed under the given emission constraints.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.811-827
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• 2000

Since improved thermal efficiency reduces capacity requirements and energy costs, electricity producers often treat thermal efficiency as a measure of management or economic performance. The conventional measure of the thermal efficiency of a fossil-fuel generation system is the ratio of total electricity generation to the simple sum of energy inputs. As a refined approach, we present a novel thermal efficiency measure using the concept of the Divisia index number. Application of this approach to the Korean power sector shows improvement of thermal efficiency of 1.1% per year during 1970-1998. This is higher than the 0.9% improvement per year given by the conventional method. The difference is attributable to the effect of fuel substitution. In the Divisia decomposition context, we also show the limitations of the popular $T{\ddot{o}}rnqvist$ index formula and the superiority of the Sato-Vartia formula.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.413-426
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• 2009

Nuclear energy plays an important role in world energy production by supplying 6% of the world's current total electricity production. However, 86% of the energy consumed worldwide to produce industrial process heat, to generate electricity and to power the transportation sector still originates in fossil fuels. To cope with dwindling fossil fuels and climate change, it is clear that a clean alternative energy that can replace fossil fuels in these sectors is urgently required. Clean hydrogen energy is one such alternative. Clean hydrogen can play an important role not only in synthetic fuel production but also through powering fuel cells in the anticipated hydrogen economy. With the introduction of the high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) that can produce nuclear heat up to $950^{\circ}C$ without greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear power is poised to broaden its mission beyond electricity generation to the provision of nuclear process heat and the massive production of hydrogen. In this paper, the features and potential of the HTGR as the energy source of the future are addressed. Perspectives on nuclear heat and hydrogen applications using the HTGR are discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.580-586
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• 2023

Diversified fuel types such as methanol, hydrogen, liquefied natural gas, ammonia, biofuels, have been come to fore in consideration of the limitations, regulations, environmental perception and efficient use of resources on maritime sector. NE is described as a substantial alternative energy source on the marine vessels in the sense of de-carbonization and fuel efficiency activities carried out by IMO. Although NPVs have been constructed for the merchant, navy and supply fields over the years, their numbers are few and working ranges are quite limited. NE generation techniques, reactor types, safety and security issues in case of any leakage or radiation pollution are analyzed and comparisons are performed between fossil-based fueled and NP based on icebreakers. The comparison are conducted on the basis of dimensions, resistances and operational competences by the VIKOR. NP icebreakers operated in recent years occupy a notable position in the ranking, although fossil fueled ones are most prevalent. Consequently, refueling period and emissions are the principal benefits of NPVs. Nevertheless, the use of such systems on marine vessels especially for merchant ships may come to the fore when all concerns in terms of safety, security and society are resolved since the slightest mistake can have irreversible consequences.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2010.09a
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• pp.504-511
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• 2010

After facing the fact such as fossil-fuel depletion, global warming, the Kyoto Protocol coming into force of mandatory reductions of carbon dioxide, the world is actively promoting the spread of the solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and other clean renewable energy technology development. Among them, wind power is the only alternative energy to secure a comparable price competition with fossil fuels because cheaper price power generation than other renewable energy when creating large-scale wind farm, thus wind power is the fastest growing industries in the world in the renewable energy field. Especially the offshore wind power is showing rapid growth as most of the wind power sector because of less changes of wind speed, no restrictions of land use, and large-scale development of offshore wind power. In this paper, the field of site selection and spatial location analysis techniques for development of large-scale offshore wind farm are discussed primarily. This paper shows overview of offshore wind power and establishment procedure for development of offshore wind farm.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.565-590
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• 2016

In accordance with the global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Korean government submitted its INDC (Intended Nationally Determined Contribution) of 25.7% for domestic reduction and the total of 37% reduction by 2030 including the purchase of emission reduction permit from abroad. In this study, 25.7% reduction target is being evaluated to see its impact on domestic energy system using the integrated assessment model, GCAM (Global Change Assessment Model). Results show that electricity generation from fossil fuel technologies using coal and gas decrease by 28.0%, 13.5% while that of biomass, wind power, solar energy increase by 47.6%, 22.0% and 45.4%, respectively. It is worth noting that so called new technology such as USC (ultra supercritical power generation) does not contribute to achieving the emission reduction target and careful and quantitative analysis is required for such categorization in the future.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.733-752
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• 2010

This study applies the Luenberger indicator approach to estimate productivity of the Korean fossil-fueled power plants. A panel data set of 25 power plants was used. The method incorporates $CO_2$ emission as an undesirable output and shows that ignoring $CO_2$ emission overestimates the productivity change. There are two sources of overestimation. First, the usual method estimates productivity change ignoring the increase in $CO_2$ emission that occurred during the study period. Second, the productivity change estimated by the usual method that does not incorporate $CO_2$ emission is very sensitively affected by the change in operation rate. The paper decomposes the productivity change into the efficiency change and the technical change. The results show that the two sources contribute to the productivity change almost equally. It is also shown that the size and the pattern of productivity change are dependent on the plants' fuel types. Non-LNG power plants which saved their energy consumption and thereby reduced their $CO_2$ emission have achieved relatively high rate of productivity improvement.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.15 no.2 s.46
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• pp.83-95
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• 2006

This study is to establish a national vision of the hydrogen economy and design a roadmap to materialize it. A goal is set to supply 15% of final energy consumption with hydrogen energy in Korea by 2040. Selecting the transportation sorter as the main target, more than 50% of vehicles on the road will be replaced with fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) while $20{\sim}30%$ of electricity demand in the residential and commercial sectors might be replaced with power generation by fuel cells. If this goals were attained as planned, primary energy demand would be reduced by 9%, resulting in improved energy mix in which fossil fuel consumption is greatly reduced whereas renewable energy increases by 47%. Furthermore, GHG emissions will be reduced by 20% and self-sufficiency in energy is enhanced up to 23%. If the hydrogen economy is to materialize, the government needs to implement institutional arrangements such as new legislations, organizations, and fiscal measures to facilitate the process. In addition, the private sector's participation is highly recommended to mobilize fund needed for the huge investment to build an infrastructure in preparation for the hydrogen economy. Arrangements for codes and standards are also required to promote industrialization of fuel cells and hydrogen production and consumption.