Korea Electric Power Corporation Research Articles

Field demonstration of a 10 MW CO2 capture pilot plant in extended operation using KoSol absorbents for treating off-gas in a coal fired power plant

Efficient CO2 absorbents are crucial for reducing energy use in CO2 capture absorption process. This study evaluates the performance of amine-based CO2 absorbents, KoSol-5 and KoSol-6, developed by the Korea Electric Power Corporation. In a 10 MW pilot plant, KoSol-6 was found to capture more than 90% of the daily CO2 emissions, amounting to over 180 tons per day, from the exhaust gasses of a coal-fired power plant. Its regeneration energy (Qregen) was 2.42 GJ/ton CO2 in the standard absorption process, which is 39.2% less than the monoethanolamine (MEA) system. Implementing advanced techniques like intercooling, lean vapor compression, and thermal vapor recompression further optimized this process. Among these, the thermal vapor recompression mode turned out to be the most efficient and stable. In addition, KoSol-6 showcased excellent thermal and chemical stability, with a consistent Qregen of 2.34 GJ/ton CO2 over a 10,000-hour test. The study provides insights into the potential of KoSol-5 and KoSol-6 for large-scale applications and further developments in CO2 capture technology.

Future scenarios of digital technology-driven energy consumption in South Korea

This study explored potential future scenarios of digital technology-driven energy consumption in South Korea. A Battelle Scenario Inputs to Corporate Strategies analysis was conducted to derive the future scenarios. This study identified four key factors and the specific order among factors that will drive future energy consumption: energy mix, energy network, energy trading market, and changes in the industrial structure. A total of 13 scenarios were derived, and the three most likely scenarios were identified. In the first scenario, energy efficiency centered around Korea Electric Power Corporation. The second scenario involved a transition to a digitally powered society. Finally, an energy-centered, hyper-connected society was predicted for the third scenario.

Structured stochastic models based on multi-source heterogeneous data for predicting internal electricity load of non-residential buildings

Electricity load patterns in buildings are increasingly diverse and inherently present building-by-building and temporal variations. This study develops structured stochastic models to capture individual and temporal variations in non-residential building groups (e.g., education, office, culture, and retail buildings). Hourly electricity load data of non-residential buildings, categorized by building use, are sourced from two open datasets (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Korea Electric Power Corporation). First, heterogeneous public datasets are processed and utilized to provide both detailed building information and high-resolution electricity load data. Second, a structured set of four stochastic models are formulated using linear regression and multivariate normal distribution models. Model 1 utilizes the beta distribution to derive daily average electricity load per unit area for each building use. Model 2 utilizes the burr distribution to determine the daily variation of electricity load from the daily average. Models 3 and 4 utilize a multivariate normal distribution to represent the hourly average electricity load profile and its time variation, respectively. The coefficient of variation of the root mean square error (CVRMSE) for the structured probabilistic models ranges from 5.2 % to 14.8 % regarding five key load characterization variables. CVRMSEs for near-peak load, near-base load, rise time, high-load duration, and fall time are 8.5–13.9, 9.5–14.7, 7.3–14.8, 6.4–13.9, and 5.2–11.4 %, respectively. The validation results demonstrate that the proposed probabilistic models capture actual variations in measurements. Structured statistical models improve prediction performance by distinctly reflecting individual and temporal variations in electricity loads.

The Republic of Korea experience of «Smart-Grid» implementing in the post-war recovery of Ukrainian energy system

The aim of the article. The article is devoted to the investigation of the South Korean experience of the «Smart-Grids» implementation in the post-war recovery of the domestic energy system and modernization of the existing power grids in Ukraine. Analysis results. Analyzed the main provisions of «Smart Grids» in the Law of Ukraine «On Energy Efficiency», which are defined as highly intelligent power grids, which functioning due to the ICT use on the basis of the smart meters, allowing independently and efficiently distribution and to manage the power grid. Emphasized the adopted by Ukrainian Government Concept for the implementation of Smart Grids in Ukraine until 2035, the main task of which is to promote the development of national energy system strategy with the creation of a highly intelligent power grid based on the Information and Communications Technologies. It has been proven that the Republic of Korea is one of the first countries where practically implemented a project of the «Smart Grid» introduction and distribution on South-Korea's Jeju-do island, which combines the concept of «Smart City» and «Smart Factory» based on the use of renewable energy sources. Grid technology is one aspect of a general trend towards smart technologies and a large market for Korean export. Smart-Grid technologies include electrical supply grids that use demand response, connectivity and renewable energy sources which increases the energy efficiency of manufacturing entities and households. Due to the high spread of the Internet of Things all around the world the transition to «Smart-Grid» is an imperative of increasing «Smart City» and «Smart Factory» concept in the sustainable development of a State, which includes the use of wearable technologies. That is why, collecting the large amount of data requires a high speed of the internet networks, like 5G. Conclusions and directions for further research. The issue of the actualizing of bilateral collaboration in the field of «Smart Grid» between Ukraine and the Republic of Korea is extremely important for both countries, because for the successful implementation of «Smart Grid» in the existing domestic realities it is necessary to involve practical South-Korean experience and for Korean business partners – Ukraine is a potential foreign market for technological items export, which requires «Smart Grid» industry. Since the time when «Miracle on the Han River» start, the main goal of the South-Korean Government was to find stable sources of energy supply and to cover electricity demand for heavy-industry manufacturing corporations and households from the sources of cheap energy supply. To achieve such goals was established Government-owned entity «Korea Electric Power Corporation» (KEPCO) and the developing of power industry was based on the large-scale centralized power systems, main aim of which was to reduce the cost of energy for long-term South-Korean economy boost

Impact of Global Fuel Price Volatility on the Korean Electric Sector: Market Risk Estimation and Electricity Rate Cap

This paper investigates the challenges that the Korean electric sector has encountered in 2022 under a regulated framework different from market-based approaches. The Ukraine-Russia war caused chaotic circumstances in every aspect of the global economy, and the energy market was not an exception. Every nation has been struggling in 2022 to secure its energy needs due to the supply chain disruptions associated with the geopolitical issues, as well as to minimize the economic impact. As electricity is a derivative product from fuels, it has serious vulnerability to fuel price volatility, unless the nation is self-sufficient in energy supply with 100% renewable energy sources or equivalent alternatives. When an electric market is deregulated with open market competition, the market cost of goods is simply passed through to end customers. However, it may not be the same case for a regulated utility that is subject to the rules set by public agencies. Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), a Korean public utility, has made every effort to stay away from bankruptcy due to its deficit of KRW 3 trillion (U$ 24 billion) in 2022. The main reason for the deficit is the regulated electric rate cap that KEPCO must charge to retail customers for the wholesale power purchased at market rates from the Korea Power Exchange. The price disparity may be explained by the year-on-year change in October: the rate cap is up 22% as opposed to the wholesale market price spike of 89%. This paper analyzes price diversions or volatilities of eight comparable asset classes, from a DJIA stock to the Korean electricity prices, in a historical context (January 2018-August 2022), and applies current fuel market parameters to estimate the value-at-risk, or price change, in Korea electricity prices to understand the estimated divergence between the two prices.

A Preference Analysis for a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Electricity Trading Platform in South Korea

The Korean government is committed to advance the country’s energy transition to greener energy by increasing the share of renewable electricity to 20 percent by 2030 and to 30–35 percent by 2040. Achieving these goals will necessitate flexibility in energy markets as well as innovative business models and technological solutions. Peer-to-peer (P2P) electricity trading platforms (ETPs) are rapidly gaining traction, as they enable the integration of distributed energy sources into power systems. This study explores whether South Koreans are willing to participate in a hypothetical P2P ETP, which allows prosumers (who both consume and produce electricity) to trade electricity surpluses with their neighbours or with KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation). We employ a choice experiment (CE) to examine respondent heterogeneous preferences and their willingness to pay (WTP) for a hypothetical P2P ETP in South Korea. Our findings indicate that two-thirds of total respondents in our CE are in favour of a P2P ETP if available. Cost savings and security play an essential role in respondent preferences for a P2P ETP business model. Respondents also prefer to trade renewable electricity with KEPCO rather than with other individuals. Per our statistical estimations, respondent WTP for a P2P ETP was estimated at USD 55.68/per month. Our analysis strongly recommends increasing consumer awareness of P2P ETPs to spur adoption. Energy trading platforms that are anchored in secure block chain technology can generate cost savings as well as support the country’s policy tilt toward green energy.

신재생발전 지역 관제를 위한 신재생 발전출력 예측 기술

This paper introduces the Local Renewable Management System(LRMS) developed by Korea Electric Power Corporation and describes the Renewable Energy Forecasting System, which is one of the main module in LRMS. The Renewable Energy Forecasting System forecasts the generation output by using meteorological data from the Korea Meteorological Administration, electrical data acquired from SCADA and DAS which are KEPCO

도시 가로수 관리 품셈 개선에 관한 연구†

This study aims to provide basic data for high-quality street tree management by setting reasonable management items and appropriate unit prices by reviewing the adequacy of current street tree management. Currently, street tree management items, except for street tree pruning, use general landscape tree quantity per unit for the street tree management quantity per unit. KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) applied pruning items from standard electric production infrastructure and carried out the activities at an average unit price of 51% lower for heavy pruning and 39% lower for light pruning than the standard estimate. This was judged to be a level that could not maintain or increase the quality of street tree management. It was determined that an appropriate standard unit price for street tree management was necessary. To improve the quantity per unit for the proper management of street trees, it was necessary to review costs in the field. However, due to the absence of data on actual construction costs in the domestic landscape field, detailed items of the US RSMeans Building Construction Cost Data (RSMeans) were reviewed, and the actual construction costs were calculated by applying personal domestic expenses. As a result, the standard of the estimated unit showed a good ratio of 107% for heavy pruning of street tree pruning compared to the actual construction cost, but light pruning was underestimated with a 59% ratio. Shrub pruning was 82%, weeding was 92%, tree fertilization was 87%, and windbreak wall installation was 91% under-engineered. In addition, it was also confirmed that the watering by sprinkler trucks and chemical spraying were over-designed compared to the actual construction cost at the rates of 118% and 124%, respectively. Due to the specificity of the street trees, the increase in personal expenses and the input cost of equipment, such as road safety controls, were judged to be the main cause of the underestimation of items. Therefore, it is necessary to add items related to street trees and general landscape trees to the landscape maintenance items of the standard of the estimated unit.

비가시권 송전선로 점검드론 시스템 개발

In this paper, we proposed a Beyond Visual Line Of Sight(BVLOS) drone system for inspection of transmission lines. As drone technology advances, drones are replacing dangerous tasks in the electric power industry. According to this trend, Korea Electric Power Corporation has developed the automatic inspection drone system for transmission lines. This system targeted inspection of transmission lines in the visible area. Since the transmission line is mainly located in mountainous area, the drone frequently enter the invisible area. In order to inspect multiple transmission lines with the existing system, frequent movement for drone takeoff and a lot of preparation time are required. To overcome this problem, we upgraded the existing system to inspect BVLOS transmission lines. For BVLOS flight, laws and regulations must be observed. Therefore, essential functions were derived from laws and regulations, and these functions were developed to be suitable for inspection of transmission lines. Finally, our system was verified through special flight approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Through the new transmission line inspection drone system, the multiple transmission lines can be efficiently inspected at once.

데이터 기반 지상용 변압기의 잔여수명과 고장확률(PoF) 도출방안 연구

In Korea, as power facilities are aging like overseas nations, maintenance and replacement costs of power facilities are expected to increase rapidly. In order to operate power facilities with a limited budget efficiently, it is necessary to introduce Asset Management System (AMS) in maintenance of the power facility in line with the global trend. To this end, it is essential for power companies to predict the remaining lifetime of power facilities and develop Probability of Failure (PoF) in their own way depending on the type and operating conditions of power facilities. Existing studies only calculated the statistical life expectancy of the power facility, but in this study, both of the statistical life expectancy and the condition remaining lifetime are presented in order to assess the PoF of power facility, in which the statistical life expectancy is calculated by using Weibull distributions. In this study, we present the criteria for determining the condition remaining lifetime using Health Index, inspection and diagnosis data of the pad mounted transformer operated by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) in the field. In addition, the final remaining lifetime of the pad mounted transformer was derived through the folding function and was converted into PoF using Hazard rate distribution based on the apparent age. PoF derived in this study is expected to be used in the risk matrix of the AMS and useful in establishing the systematic maintenance plan of the pad mounted transformer.

Optimization of ESS Scheduling for Cost Reduction in Commercial and Industry Customers in Korea

Various attempts have been made to reduce carbon emissions in the energy sector as part of global net zero emissions trends. Among them, interest in the use of energy storage systems (ESSs) for energy efficiency is growing. Utilities intend to improve the efficiency of investment and operating costs by reducing the maximum peak and leveling the load. Many ESS-scheduling optimization techniques have been studied to reduce the peak demand, balance the load, or reduce the cost corresponding to these two purposes from the customer’s point of view. In this paper, a method for cost minimization that simultaneously considers both the peak demand and load balancing is proposed, and the results and analysis of a case study in Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Korea are presented. Through these results, we show that there is a priority among the objective functions of the ESS schedule, that demand charge is more important than energy charge, and that the ESS schedule problem for customers to reduce costs is also beneficial to power system operation by the utility’s rate policy.

계통 연계형 3레벨 TNPC 인버터의 LVRT & HVRT

With the increase in renewable power generation facilities, strict regulations on grid connection standards are being presented. The standards of Low Voltage Ride Through(LVRT) and High Voltage Ride Through(HVRT), which are representative grid connection standards to improve grid stability by maintaining grid connection in low and high voltage situations when a grid failure occurs, are gradually being subdivided. In this paper, the LVRT and HVRT control algorithms suggested in the transmission and distribution system connection regulations of KEPCO(Korea Electric Power Corporation) are applied to the grid-connected 3-level TNPC(T-Type Neutral Point Clamped) inverter. And in the VRT situation, the active and reactive current injection strategies were applied to the grid connected inverter algorithm. In addition, various simulation cases were analyzed, such as LVRT & HVRT conditions of transmission and distribution system. In the distribution system LVRT simulation, the grid voltage operated at 150ms and 1500ms, respectively, within 0.5p.u. and 0.75p.u. In the transmission system simulation, the LVRT operation and the HVRT operation were also simulated. By analyzing various simulation cases, the characteristics of the VRT cases was analyzed in detail and VRT control performance of the designed TNPC inverter was verified.

Grid Connection Studies for Large-Scale Offshore Wind Farms Considering High Penetration of Regional Renewables

There is a global focus on adding renewable energy sources to the mix of energy supplies. In this study, the grid connections for large-scale offshore wind farms in areas that have high penetration of renewable energy sources were examined. System strength evaluation considering the interaction of wind farms and inverter-based resources (IBRs) was performed; the fault current was then analyzed to determine their contribution to the total fault current at a bus level. These studies revealed that the interaction between offshore wind farms and IBRs may make the power system weaker, and it is possible that fault current contributions from offshore wind farms can violate the capacity limit of existing circuit breakers. The results of steady-state analysis were verified through case studies focused on the southwest area of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) system where large-scale offshore wind farms are planned to be established and connected. Power system planners will benefit from the results of this study with a better understanding of the factors to consider when integrating large-scale wind farms in areas with high penetration of renewables.

Missing Data Imputation Algorithm for Transmission Systems Based on Multivariate Imputation With Principal Component Analysis

As the importance of utility condition is increasingly acknowledged, the use of asset management technologies in the electric power industry has rapidly grown. The global trend of asset management follows risk management that accounts for the probability and consequences of failures. Because asset management systems tend to be composed of various legacy systems, each of which is installed and designed to collect data according to a certain data type and acquisition purpose, it is necessary to develop a system that cleans and integrates data acquired from each legacy system. This study explores the development of an asset management system for a transmission system as a representative linear asset consisting of different segments in a sequence. First, the configurations and characteristics of linear asset datasets are analyzed. Second, an automatic data cleaning system, equipped with six types of data cleaning functions for extracting dirty data from entire datasets, is proposed. An algorithm for data imputation, which is essential for estimating the remaining useful life, is developed based on principal component analysis–iterative algorithm (PCA–IA). Afterward, the performance of the proposed system is verified using actual data with the help of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). Specifically, to evaluate the performance of the proposed system, an automatic cleaning process is demonstrated using actual legacy datasets.

도서지역 부하패턴 분석을 위한 군집화 방법

Currently, most island regions have independent microgrids composed of distributed power sources, including renewable energy, and there are many restrictions on implementing power generation control individually for these independent microgrids. Therefore, for more efficient power generation control and operation, clustering between island regions with similar load patterns is necessary. In this paper, the load pattern was analyzed for the Korea Electric Power Corporation management island regions, and the clustering method used in the analysis process was explained in detail, and the reliability of clustering was improved by verifying whether the clustering results were valid. In addition, through the results of each clustering, the relationship between new and renewable energy, an independent microgrid, and the island region corresponding to each cluster, is analyzed to propose a power generation control and operation method for each cluster.

계통 연계형 인버터의 LVRT 동작 성능 분석

The scale of renewable power generation facilities such as wind power and solar power generation is being enlarged. Due to the increased scale of renewable power generation facilities, the system stability has been significantly affected by the increased distributed power sources, and various countries such as Germany and the United States are enacting standards to prevent deterioration of system stability. In this paper, we analyze the LVRT (Low Voltage Ride Through) conditions and reactive current injection standards established by Germany and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). And, the LVRT control algorithm is applied to the designed inverter, and the operation of the grid-connected inverter was confirmed through simulation based on the LVRT boundary. In addition, the injection characteristic algorithm1 of active and reactive current in LVRT situation was modeled, and the modeled algorithm was verified by checking the simulation performance.

해상풍력 공동접속모선 입지 및 345kV 송전선로 최적 경과지 선정시 중립성 확보를 위한 기준 마련에 관한 연구

Recently, as renewable energy has been expanded as a private project, Therefore, there is an irrationality in that the distance of the submarine cable for each power generation company is different depending on the location of the common access bus used by several power generation companies. However, the transitional site selection work promoted by the private sector is inefficient but unsystematic compared to Korea Electric Power Corporation, which has a lot of experience and achievements, and there is a significant lack of objective grounds. Therefore, a neutral and equitable location selection criteria are needed. Accordingly, it reviews the regulations of relevant laws and regulations, determines resistance values and weights, selects an virtual candidate area through the existing Geographic Information System (GIS) and spatial analysis data, and derives the minimum cost through the Transportation Planning Act to determine the optimal transit site. A plan for securing neutrality in selection was presented.

Static and transient analyses of Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) initial core using open-source nodal core simulator KOMODO

The United Arab Emirates is currently building and operating four units of the APR-1400 developed by a South Korean vendor, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). This paper attempts to perform APR-1400 reactor core analysis by using the well-known two-step method. The two-step method was applied to the APR-1400 first cycle using the open-source nodal diffusion code, KOMODO. In this study, the group constants were generated using CASMO-4 fuel transport lattice code. The simulation was performed in Hot Zero Power (HZP) at steady-state and transient conditions. Some typical parameters necessary for the Nuclear Design Report (NDR) were evaluated in this paper, such as effective neutron multiplication factor, control rod worth, and critical boron concentration for steady-state analysis. Other parameters such as reactivity insertion, power, and fuel temperature changes during the Reactivity Insertion Accident (RIA) simulation were evaluated as well. The results from KOMODO were verified using PARCS and SIMULATE-3 nodal core simulators. It was found that KOMODO gives an excellent agreement.

P2G 기반 마이크로그리드의 경제성 분석 및 보급 방안에 관한 연구

Recently, global interest in the hydrogen economy is increasing, and most advanced countries, as well as Korea, have established and implemented various policies to foster the hydrogen industry. Hydrogen is considered as an energy carrier that is able to integrate and control existing energy such as electricity, gas, and heat in one dimension, and theoretically, its possibility has already been confirmed. As the first step to implement this, advanced countries such as Switzerland and Germany are leading the development of Powr-to-Gas (P2G) technology. In Korea, some energy-related organizations are conducting various researches recently, and KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) began research to connect the P2G-based microgrid to the distribution grid in 2019. Currently, the design and construction of the demonstration site is in progress. In this paper, the economic feasibility of a P2G-based microgrid is analyzed and an appropriate direction of penetration is proposed considering the increase of hydrogen load. For the economic analysis, HOMER Pro, which is widely used worldwide for evaluating the economics of renewable energy and microgrids, is used and Bass" diffusion model is applied to predict the increase of hydrogen load. In the case study, the economic analysis is carried out to derive the optimal facility configuration for 10% of the total load of the Ulsan techno-industrial complex under construction of the P2G-based microgrid demonstration site. As well as the sensitivity according to the level of hydrogen load is evaluated for the purpose of utilization of unused energy caused by renewable energy.

Voltage Control of Distribution Networks to Increase their Hosting Capacity in South Korea

This paper presents the results of a study of a voltage management technology called parameter determination of voltage regulator (PDVR) implemented in a 22.9 kV distribution network. Korea Electric Power Corporation has developed this PDVR technology for increasing the hosting capacity without causing any voltage problems in LV (220/380 V) networks. PDVR calculates and provides the operation settings of voltage regulators such as on load tap changer, pole mounted automatic voltage regulator, and distributed generation (DG). Subsequently, these settings are applied to the voltage regulators, which further optimize the 22.9 kV network voltage without the control of the distribution management system (DMS). A study of the operations and performance of PDVR through the analysis of test results is presented in this paper.