Energy In South Korea Research Articles

Evaluating Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Agriculture and Renewable Energy in South Korea

This study investigates the impacts of agriculture and renewable energy consumption on CO2 emissions in South Korea from 1980 to 2023, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for environmental sustainability. Utilizing bootstrap ARDL, FMOLS, and CCR methodologies, the analysis reveals that traditional agricultural practices significantly increase CO2 emissions, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable agricultural reforms. Conversely, renewable energy consumption effectively reduces CO2 emissions, thereby supporting the nation’s transition towards sustainable energy sources. Additionally, control variables such as industrial activity, urbanization, energy prices, and government environmental policies exhibit significant effects on CO2 emissions. Specifically, industrial activity and urbanization contribute to increased emissions, whereas higher energy prices and stringent environmental policies are associated with reduced emissions. These findings highlight the necessity for targeted agricultural and energy sector reforms to achieve a balance between economic growth and environmental preservation. Robustness tests confirm the stability of these relationships, providing a reliable foundation for policymakers to develop effective strategies for a sustainable future in South Korea.

Expansion of Next-Generation Sustainable Clean Hydrogen Energy in South Korea: Domino Explosion Risk Analysis and Preventive Measures Due to Hydrogen Leakage from Hydrogen Re-Fueling Stations Using Monte Carlo Simulation

Hydrogen, an advanced energy source, is growing quickly in its infrastructure and technological development. Urban areas are constructing convergence-type hydrogen refilling stations utilizing existing gas stations to ensure economic viability. However, it is essential to conduct a risk analysis as hydrogen has a broad range for combustion and possesses significant explosive capabilities, potentially leading to a domino explosion in the most severe circumstances. This study employed quantitative risk assessment to evaluate the range of damage effects of single and domino explosions. The PHAST program was utilized to generate quantitative data on the impacts of fires and explosions in the event of a single explosion, with notable effects from explosions. Monte Carlo simulations were utilized to forecast a domino explosion, aiming to predict uncertain events by reflecting the outcome of a single explosion. Monte Carlo simulations indicate a 69% chance of a domino explosion happening at a hydrogen refueling station if multi-layer safety devices fail, resulting in damage estimated to be three times greater than a single explosion.

Striving for Energy Security

This paper analyzes South Korea's energy policy after the Fukushima disaster. The policy is seen from two dimensions, namely internal policies and external policies. The variable used in viewing the policy is through the framework described by Duffield. According to Duffield, internal policy responses can be seen from emergency preparations and reducing dependencies on foreign energy sources. In contrast, external policy response can be seen through policy toward energy-producing and transit countries, also other energy-consuming and importing countries. This research is qualitative with descriptive analytics. The study found that South Korea took several energy policies related to its domestic politics to reduce its dependence on energy imports. At the same time, for the external responses, South Korea intends to diversify its cooperation with the energy-exporting countries and continues to encourage international cooperation among the importing countries.

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Hydrogen Requirement to Minimize Seasonal Variability in Future Solar and Wind Energy in South Korea

Renewable energy supply is essential for carbon neutrality; however, technologies aiming to optimally utilize renewable energy sources remain insufficient. Seasonal variability in renewable energy is a key issue, which many studies have attempted to overcome through operating systems and energy storage. Currently, hydrogen is the only technology that can solve this seasonal storage problem. In this study, the amount of hydrogen required to circumvent the seasonal variability in renewable energy supply in Korea was quantified. Spatiotemporal analysis was conducted using renewable energy resource maps and power loads. It was predicted that 50% of the total power demand in the future will be met using solar and wind power, and a scenario was established based on the solar-to-wind ratio. It was found that the required hydrogen production differed by approximately four-times, depending on the scenarios, highlighting the importance of supplying renewable energy at an appropriate ratio. Spatially, wind power was observed to be unsuitable for the physical transport of hydrogen because it has a high potential at mountain peaks and islands. The results of this study are expected to aid future hydrogen research and solve renewable energy variability problems.

"정당일체감이 원자력에너지 안전성과 확대 인식에 미치는 영향"

본 연구는 2010년, 2014년, 2016년, 2018년 총 4개년의 한국종합사회조사자료(KGSS)를 사용하여 근래 한국 에너지 정책 갈등의 중심이었던 원자력에너지를 대상으로 정당일체감에 따른 시민들의 인식 차이를 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 2016년 새누리당과 더불어민주당의 정당일체감이 원자력에너지 안전성에 대한 인식에 서로 다른 영향을 끼치는 것으로 나타났다. 먼저 새누리당 지지자는 원자력에너지가 안전하다는 인식을 보이는 반면, 더불어민주당 지지자는 안전성에 대해 부정적인 인식을 보인다. 그리고 이명박과 박근혜 정부에 대한 국정운영평가에 긍정적일수록 원자력에너지의 안전성에 대한 긍정적 인식이 높다. 원자력에너지확대에 대한 인식의 경우, 2016년 더불어민주당 지지자들이 원자력에너지 확대에 대해 부정적 인식을 가지고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 박근혜 정부의 국정운영에 대한 긍정적 평가는 원자력에너지 확대에 대한 인식에 긍정적으로 영향을 미치는 반면, 문재인 정부에 대한 긍정적 평가는 원자력에너지 확대에 대한 인식에 부정적으로 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 이 연구결과는 정당일체감과 함께 대통령 국정운영평가가 원자력에너지의 안전성과 확대에 대한 인식에 상반된 방향으로 반영되는 것으로 이해할 수 있다.

Valuing the public preference for offshore wind energy: The case study in South Korea

Offshore wind energy in South Korea has received more attention than other renewable energies with less availability of onshore space and low public acceptance. The South Korean government announced a new policy to enhance offshore wind energy portion, and has been exploring the energy development sites. The current article estimates the willingness to pay (WTP) for offshore wind energy, employing the contingent valuation approach. To this end, a nationwide survey of 1000 respondents was conducted to compute their WTP for the offshore wind energy project. The average WTP was estimated at KRW 3600.0 (USD 3.1) per month per household, and the calculated benefit total was KRW 869.0 billion (USD 744.3 million) per year. These findings can provide a significant standard for discerning the economic evaluation of the offshore wind energy project. Finally, we offer the pertinent policy implication in line with the analysis results.

Generative model-based hybrid forecasting model for renewable electricity supply using long short-term memory networks: A case study of South Korea's energy transition policy

Forecasting renewable energy is essential for achieving a sustainable energy future. This study aimed to develop a hybrid deep-learning-based model for forecasting renewable electricity supply in a case study of South Korea in order to assist national-scale energy plan assessments. A generative model based on the variational auto-encoder (VAE) algorithm allows for the harnessing of numerous samples by solving problems such as a lack of sufficient time-series data and their uncertainties. Long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, which are well-suited to facilitate time-series problems, were used in forecasting, and they were compared to other machine learning-based models, such as the gated recurrent unit, deep neural network, and autoregressive integrated moving average models. Performance evaluation metrics, such as coefficient of determination (R2), root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and weighted absolute percentage error (WAPE), were used to determine the optimal model. Therefore, the developed forecasting model based on the LSTM and VAE is suitable for the case study because it presented the highest R2 score of 0.92 and a decrease of 17%, 24%, 13%, and 14% in the RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and WAPE, respectively. It can be stated that results from this study will have a significant impact on renewable energy planning.

Is renewable energy more favorable to diversity than conventional energy sources on R&D performance?

AbstractDiversity is often key to solving challenging problems. It sparks creativity through embracing various perspectives. Energy transition and climate change are challenges that require significant creativity and innovative ideas. This study is designed to analyze if diversity in the workforce has a meaningful relation to research and development (R&D) performance of public renewable energy in South Korea, and possibly, to compare the diversity of the workforce and its relation to performance between power generation industries. Using 538 public R&D projects, this study analyzed intellectual and economic performance along with workforce diversity based on gender, age, educational background, and educational level. Among several findings in this study, this study found a positive relationship between gender diversity and intellectual performance but a negative relationship between age diversity and intellectual performance. In addition, a clear distinction was found between renewable energy and nuclear and thermal power in terms of the research workforce itself and its relation to performance.

Upaya Negara Dalam Mencapai Keamanan Energi. Studi Kasus: Transformasi Kebijakan Energi Korea Selatan

The export-based development policy launched by South Korea after the end of the Korean war caused the country to rely heavily on energy sources for their development goals. This ultimately encourages South Korea to continue transforming its energy policy in accordance with the situation and conditions experienced by the country. This paper analyzes South Korea's energy transition since its establishment to the present day using the multi-level perspective. The transition process was analyzed from the relationship between the existing regime and innovation opportunities in the wider environment. Data was collected through official South Korean government documents, websites, also supported by journals and news articles. This study concludes that the government remains the dominant actor at the meso level in any energy policy transition. As for the micro level, there are differences in innovation opportunities according to the conditions in that era. In addition, energy transitions are also caused by different situation in each period at the macro level.

The public willingness to pay for the research and demonstration of tidal stream energy in South Korea

South Korea has established a plan to install 700 MW of tidal stream energy (TSE) generation by 2030, and is pursuing the research and demonstration (R&D) of TSE. A significant amount of public funds will be invested in the R&D led by government-funded research institutes and public corporations. Thus, the government is seeking information about the aggregate willingness to pay (WTP) for the R&D. The purpose of this research is to explore the WTP by employing contingent valuation (CV). To this end, a CV survey of 1000 interviewees in South Korea was carried out using a closed-ended question during May 2020. Because 56.7% of all interviewees gave a zero WTP value, a spike model allowing for many zero values was adopted. The mean WTP was found to be KRW 4290 (USD 3.49) per annum per household and held statistical significance. This aggregate WTP for the R&D amounts to KRW 87.30 billion (USD 71.03 million) per year from a national perspective. The costs incurred by the R&D, which have not yet been accurately measured, can be compared to the aggregate WTP for the R&D. If the latter is greater than the former, the R&D may be socially profitable.

Climate resilience modelling incorporated with non-carbon emissions of nuclear energy in South Korea

Climate resilience modelling incorporated with non-carbon emissions of nuclear energy in South Korea

Climate resilience modelling incorporated with non-carbon emissions of nuclear energy in South Korea

Climate resilience modelling incorporated with non-carbon emissions of nuclear energy in South Korea

Barriers and strategies of hydrogen fuel cell power generation based on expert survey in South Korea

Recently, South Korea has become a pioneer in implementing hydrogen fuel cell energy production; however, sustainable development of hydrogen fuel cell as an energy source in South Korea remains limited. Hence, it is necessary to address these challenges that hinder such development. This study aims to identify the barriers to developing hydrogen fuel cell energy in South Korea and classify them. We used the combined qualitative methodology, which includes both expert Delphi surveys and Analytic Hierarchy Process techniques. Five factors were identified, each of which has three sub-factors derived for the Delphi survey. The results show that the most serious barriers are institutional and political factors; in addition, the cost of the unit and infrastructure of the fuel cell are significant barriers.

A Social Dilemma of the Nuclear Energy Issue in South Korea: How Social Value Orientation and Trust in Nuclear Energy Control Affect Individuals’ Behavioral Intentions

This study attempted to demonstrate the effects of social value orientation, along with trust in nuclear energy control, on a variety of behavioral intentions toward nuclear energy. The study revealed that social value orientation exerts significant influence on information sharing intentions and intentions to support pro-nuclear energy policies. More precisely, proselfs were more likely to share relevant nuclear energy information with others as well as to support pro-nuclear energy policies than were prosocials. While individuals’ trust in nuclear energy control had significant main effects on several behavioral intentions, interaction effects between social value orientation and trust in nuclear energy were found in relation to information seeking and sharing intentions. The findings of this study helped understand the complicated as well as nuanced social situation for nuclear energy in South Korea.

Generative Model-Based Hybrid Forecasting Model for Renewable Electricity Supply Using Long Short-Term Memory Networks: A Case Study of South Korea's Energy Transition Policy

Generative Model-Based Hybrid Forecasting Model for Renewable Electricity Supply Using Long Short-Term Memory Networks: A Case Study of South Korea's Energy Transition Policy

Research on local acceptance cost of renewable energy in South Korea: A case study of photovoltaic and wind power projects

While renewable energy is an eco-friendly source of electricity, it can be difficult to garner local acceptance when securing sites for renewable energy projects. Local acceptance is an important factor in determining the success of these projects. To elicit local acceptance, governments can consider profit-sharing, in which project developers pay a subsidy to the locals to compensate for the inconvenience of a renewable energy facility. The purpose of this study is to analyze local acceptance levels for photovoltaic and wind power projects in Korea and to evaluate the impact of profit-sharing on the profitability of such projects. Contingent valuation is used to estimate willingness to accept for a baseline renewable energy project. A choice experiment is conducted to estimate a marginal willingness to accept for project attributes. These are combined to simulate the total willingness to accept needed to gain local acceptance. Total willingness to accept for baseline photovoltaic and wind power projects are, respectively, USD 13,815 and USD 27,587 per household for 5 years. Internal rate of return is employed to assess the profitability of such projects. This rate without profit-sharing ranges from 4.49% to 9.50%. Meanwhile, the rate with profit-sharing ranges from −1.67% to 7.64%.

Heating energy savings potential from retrofitting old apartments with an advanced double-skin façade system in cold climate

Apartments account for over 60% of total residential buildings and consume a significant portion of primary energy in South Korea. Various energy efficiency measures have been implemented for both new apartment constructions and existing apartment retrofits. Old apartment structures have poor thermal performances, resulting in a high energy consumption. The South Korean government initiated retrofitting projects to improve the energy efficiency in old apartments. Apartment owners typically replace old windows with high-performance windows; however, there is still a demand for better and more innovative retrofit methods for a highly improved energy efficiency. This paper proposes an advanced double-skin facade (DSF) system to replace existing balcony windows in old apartments. Considering the cold climate conditions of Seoul, South Korea, it mainly discusses heating energy savings. Three case models were developed: Base-Case with existing apartment, Case-1 with typical retrofitting, and Case-2 with the proposed DSF system. The EnergyPlus simulation program was used to develop simulation models for a floor radiant heating system. A typical gas boiler was selected for lowtemperature radiant system modeling. The air flow network method was used to model the proposed DSF system. Five heating months, i.e., November to March, and one representative day, i.e., January 24, were selected for detailed analysis. The main heat loss areas consist of windows, walls, and infiltration. The results reveal that the apartment with the DSF retrofit saves 38.8% on the annual heating energy compared to the Base-Case and 35.2% compared to Case-1.

The role of innovation in reducing South Korea's energy intensity: Regional-data evidence on various energy carriers

We analyze the growth-energy use nexus for South Korea, considering province-level consumption data for both total energy use and the five main energy carriers from 2002 to 2017. Given the importance in the country's environmental initiatives and lack of Korea-specific empirical evidence, our focus lies on the role of technological change in reducing the corresponding energy intensities and related changes induced by the National Strategy for Green Growth launched in 2009. While we decompose the growth effect into technique and composition effects and treat income as endogenous, three additional indicators are used to measure innovation activity. We find that not only the income-induced technique effect, but also trade openness, government environmental expenditures, and in part innovation, reduce the total energy intensity. Interestingly, the effects of innovation and government expenditures have been significantly stronger since 2009, whereas the total energy intensity has not improved during the same period. At the energy carrier level, the importance of the drivers is heterogeneous. The technique effect reduces the oil and electricity consumption intensity in particular, and increases the renewables consumption intensity. Reductions in the coal consumption intensity are driven by increases in government expenditures, innovation activity, and trade openness. Decreasing the natural gas consumption intensity appears difficult to achieve.

Strategic Market Growth and Policy Recommendations for Sustainable Solar Energy Deployment in South Korea

It is widely acknowledged that the solar energy markets have experienced increasing interest in the last decade in South Korea, due to a significant economic and ecological impact of solar energy in the coming years. Despite their great technical potential, the development and deployment of large-scale solar energy technologies in South Korea still need to overcome some technical, financial, regulatory, and institutional barriers in order to achieve a vision of the green and eco-sustainable energy. This article provides an updated comprehensive overview of the technical and economic strategies, as well as policies for the development and deployment of solar energy in South Korea. The article reviews and discusses: (1) solar energy resources and technologies, (2) economics and market status of solar energy, (3) policy support for solar energy development, and (4) obstacles to the development and implementation of solar energy technology. Policymakers are given recommendations in which the cost and impact of social, environmental, and geographical factors are considered. This review contributes towards the future of green and eco-sustainable solar energy in South Korea.

How to Make a Sustainable Manufacturing Process: A High-Commitment HRM System

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between high-commitment human resource management (HCHRM) practices and process improvement activities (i.e., manufacturing flexibility) by utilizing the theory of social exchange. We conducted an empirical study to discover the links between social exchange theory and process management from an HRM perspective. For the empirical investigation, we used data from 601 manufacturing enterprises provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy in South Korea. The research is conducted based on employees’ capabilities for process management as a mediator in the analysis of the impact of the HCHRM system on manufacturing flexibility (i.e., internally-driven and externally-driven flexibility). The results of the study show that the HCHRM system ultimately explains manufacturing flexibility through enhancement of employees’ capabilities.