• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.15-29
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• 2010

In order to make the best choice for $CO_2$ abatement using renewable energy technologies, it is important to be able to adapt these technologies on the basis of their sustainability, which may include a variety of environmental indicators. This study examined the comparative sustainability of renewable technologies in terms of their life cycle $CO_2$ emissions and embodied energy, using life cycle analysis. The models developed were based on case studies of bioenergy pilot plant in P city of Kyungki province. Final results were total emission of $CO_2$ in Pocheonsi is 670,041 $tCO_2$, around 500,877 $tCO_2$ for electricity and for heat generation, and 169,164 $tCO_2$ for transportation. When used $1,984\;m^3$/day of waste (pig manure etc.) and operated CHP with wood chips of 144,664 ton/year, the $CO_2$ emission in P city was left as is an emission of 449,274 $tCO_2$ and an abatement of $CO_2$ in this region was increased by 32.9%.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.453-472
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• 2014

Analyzing the effects of carbon emissions trading, which is scheduled to be introduced in Korea in 2015, requires an accurate assessment of $CO_2$ abatement costs by both industries and firms. Firms faced with regulatory constraints are unlikely to minimize their production costs due to rising production costs caused by allocative inefficiency of inputs. The use of a distance function would results in underestimation of $CO_2$ abatement costs, because it fails to capture the allocative distortion costs. Recognizing the disadvantage of the previous approach, first, this paper tests for allocative efficiency of input for the Korean steel industry over the period 1990-2010, then derives the marginal $CO_2$ abatement costs by applying a cost function approach. The hypothesis of allocative efficiency in inputs is rejected and the steel industry pays an annual average cost of 92,000 won in removing an additional ton of $CO_2$ over the sample period.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.173-216
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• 2001

We compare impacts of different $CO_2$ abatement mechanisms using a CGE model. Focus is on the way the tradable permits are initially distributed for emissions trading, namely auction and grandfathering. For three major energy consuming industries (basic chemical, iron & steel and electricity) in Korea, emissions trading is clearly superior to individual $CO_2$ abatement, but auction and grandfathering show somewhat different patterns of impact. We show that depending on how the government uses the revenue from permit auction, auction may be preferable to grandfathering.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.499-520
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• 2013

This study proposes an iterative approach to the estimation of the marginal abatement costs of undesirable outputs by computing the slope of the efficient production possibilities frontier on the basis of the efficient projection points generated by the directional output distance function approach due to Fare et al. (2005) based on duality theory. In case of the latter methodology, the estimated marginal abatement costs differ significantly depending on the choice of the directional output vector. In addition, depending on the curvature of the underlying PPF the efficient projection points may be located at a significant distance away from their actually observed counterparts. While it would be more logical to estimate marginal abatement costs as a PPF slope at a point corresponding to the actually observed emissions level, the methodology based on duality theory is likely to produce unstable results due to the problems associated with applying the theorem of implicit function differentiation. Since our methodology is not based on duality theory, our results are immune to both of these problems. We apply our methodology to a sample of Western European countries for the period of 1995-2011 to illustrate our approach.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.755-765
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• 2011

Nitrous oxide ($N_2O$) is one of six greenhouse gases listed up in the Kyoto Protocol, and it effects a strong global warming because of its much greater global warming potential (GWP), by 310 times over a 100-year time horizon, than $CO_2$. Although such $N_2O$ emissions from both natural and anthropogenic sources occur, the latter can be controlled using suitable abatement technologies, depending on them, to reduce $N_2O$ below acceptable or feasible levels. This paper has extensively reviewed the anthropogenic $N_2O$ emission sources and their related compositions, and the state-of-the-art non-catalytic and catalytic technologies of the emissions controls available currently to representative, large $N_2O$ emission sources, such as adipic acid production plants. Challengeable approaches to this source are discussed to promote establishment of advanced $N_2O$ emission control technologies.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.57-81
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• 2010

Since the Republic of Korea is highly dependent on fossil fuels despite high oil prices, it urgently needs to renew its economic and social system to cut carbon emissions and achieve green growth. Therefore, reforming or eliminating subsidies related to the use of fossil fuels is a timely and oppropriate policy recommendation for Korea. It would be a win-win deal for Korean society as it would not only reduce the use of environmentally harmful fossil fuels but also enhance economic efficiency. In particular, cross-subsidies for industrial, agricultural and night thermal-storage power services make up more than 80 percent of all subsidies provided to the entire electric power industry sector of Korea. Of these cross-subsidies, this paper analyzes the electricity subsidy for industries, which takes up the largest share (about KRW 1.6583 trillion yearly), among the environmentally harmful subsidies in the electric power sector. Thus, the paper focuses on the analysis of ripple effect anticipated when this is reformed. To examine the effects of this subsidy reform, price elasticities were estimated using the ARDL (autoregressive distributed lag) model and quarterly data from 1990 to 2007. The main results of this study show that 1) annual energy demand for electric power in the industrial sector would drop by 12,475,930MWh and 2) $CO_2$ emissions would plummet by 2,644,897 tons per year if the subsidy were reformed. We can deduct from this that the abolition of environmentally harmful subsidies in the electric power sector in the Republic of Korea would considerably contribute to $CO_2$ emissions abatement in the country.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.399-420
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• 2018

This study has attempted environmental economic analysis on the cost structure of offshore fisheries based on fishery management data published by the Fisheries Research Institute to examine the effect of the environmental policy on the fisheries for the effective implementation of the Paris Convention. Under the assumption that both fisheries and carbon dioxide are simultaneously produced, the cost structure of offshore fisheries were analyzed. Cost function in a translog form was estimated and SUR (Seemingly Unrelated Regression) model was used for the analysis. Here, $CO_2$ emission of offshore fishery was calculated by using National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives' data on supply of tax exemption oil (2003~2016). The cost function estimation showed that there is a weak disposition between catches and $CO_2$ emissions during the sample period, and the marginal abatement cost (MAC) is estimated at 1,457 won per year. In addition, for the same period, when 1% of $CO_2$ per horsepower is to be reduced MAC increases by 2.2%, and when 1% of $CO_2$ per 1 ton of catch is to be reduced, MAC increases by 1.4%.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.459-479
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• 2013

To assess the feasibility of 'low carbon, sustainable growth' policy pursued of the Chinese government, this paper first measures technical efficiency, $CO_2$ shadow prices, and indirect Morishima elasticity of substitution between capital and energy for 24 of manufacturing sectors in Beijing and Chongqing, in which China launched pilot carbon emissions trading scheme, by estimating the input distance function. Based on these results, then the potential for $CO_2$ reduction, cost savings from emissions trading, and the effectiveness of capital investment in reducing $CO_2$ are compared across industries and provinces. In 2010, manufacturing industries in Beijing and Chongqing could potentially reduce the largest $CO_2$ emissions, amounting 5.2 and 17 million tons, respectively, by achieving 100% technical efficiency. While, on average, Chongqing has a comparative advantage in the cost savings from carbon trading over Beijing, Beijing is more likely to reduce $CO_2$ by expanding capital investment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.14-22
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• 2017

Co-firing of renewable fuel in coal fired boilers is an attractive option to mitigate $CO_2$ emissions, since it is a relatively low cost option for efficiently converting renewable fuel to electricity by adding biomass as partial substitute of coal. However, it would cause reducing plant efficiency and operational flexibility, and increasing operation and capital cost associated with handling and firing equipment of renewable fuels. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of biomass co-firing on $CO_2$ emission and capital/operating cost. Wood pellet, PKS (palm kernel shell), EFB (empty fruit bunch) and sludge are considered as renewable fuels for co-firing with coal. Several approaches by the co-firing ratio are chosen from previous plant demonstrations and commercial co-firing operation, and they are evaluated and discussed for $CO_2$ reduction and cost estimation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.294-304
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• 2019

Abstract Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture and forestry sources in the energy sector have been estimated based on a top-down approach, which is an efficient way to estimate GHG emissions with the limited number of emission factors and activity data. On the other hand, for GHG abatement policies, more detailed information and data on GHG emissions are required. This study discusses how to improve the estimates of GHG emissions from the agricultural and forestry sources in the energy sector. To this end, this paper reviews the current estimation method of GHG emissions and presents three suggestions to enhance the current method. First, the development of country specific emission factors and corresponding activity data is proposed based on the 2006 IPCC Guidelines, National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reports from other countries, and Domestic Statistics. Second, the uncertainty in CO₂ emissions from agriculture in energy sector based on 2006 IPCC Guidelines is estimated, and ways of reducing the uncertainty in CO₂ emissions are suggested. Finally, a potential way to reflect the GHG emissions from the use of renewable energy is suggested.