• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2023

Various carbon upcycling technologies have been proposed and are under development to achieve Korea's carbon neutrality target. Many chemical reactions are under development through various chemical reaction pathways, and different technological maturity levels are shown for each country and company. In this situation, it is essential to establish investment decisions such as research funds and human resources allocation through technological and economic analysis for close commercialization technologies and basic technologies with low technology readiness levels (TRL). Therefore, in this study, the technology development priority for developing carbon upcycling items was selected according to the domestic Carbon Capture & Utilization (CCU) technology roadmap using the stakeholder selection tool released by EU CarbonNext. As a result of the analysis, the TRL level of Korea's major carbon upcycling technologies was analyzed to be lower than that of other carbon resource technologies, and it was considered desirable to invest in mineral carbonization technologies among various candidate technologies.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2017

We investigate the availability of $CO_2$ ocean storage by means of chemical conversion of $CO_2$ to the dissolved inorganic carbon (mainly the bicarbonate ion) in seawater. The accelerated weathering of limestone (AWL) technique, which is accelerating the natural $CO_2$ uptake process through the chemical conversion using limestone and seawater, was proposed as an alternative method for reducing energy-related $CO_2$ emission. The method presented in this paper is slightly different from the AWL method. It involves reacting $CO_2$ with seawater and quicklime obtained from alkaline wastes to produce the bicarbonate-rich solution over 100 times more than seawater, which could be released and diluted into the ocean. The released dense bicarbonate-enriched water mass could subside into the deeper layer because of the density flow, and could be sequestrated stably in the ocean.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.59-71
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• 2023

Carbon capture, and storage (CCS) is important for the reduction of greenhouse gases and achieving carbon neutrality. CCS focuses on storing captured CO₂ permanently in underground reservoirs. CO₂-enhanced oil recovery (CO₂-EOR) is one form of CCS, where CO₂ is injected into the underground to enhance oil recovery. CO₂-EOR not only aids in the extraction of residual oil but also contributes to carbon neutrality by storing CO₂ underground continuously. CO₂-EOR can be classified into miscible and immiscible methods, with the CO₂-water alternating gas (CO₂-WAG) technique being a representative approach within the miscible method. In CO₂-WAG, water and CO₂ are alternately injected into the reservoir, enabling oil production and CO₂ storage. The WAG method allows for controlling the breakthrough of injection fluids, providing advantages in oil recovery. It also induces hysteresis in relative permeability during the injection and production process, expanding the amount of trapped CO₂. In this study, the effects of enhancing oil recovery and storing CO₂ underground during CO₂-EOR were presented. Additionally, cases of CO₂-EOR application in relation to CCS were introduced.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.37 no.11
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• pp.597-606
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• 2015

This work investigates the carbonation of KOH-dissolved methanol and ethanol solution systems carried out for $CO_2$ fixation. Potassium methyl carbonate (PMC) and potassium ethyl carbonate (PEC) were synthesized during the reaction in each solution as the solid powder, and they were characterized in detail. The amount of $CO_2$ chemically absorbed to produce the PMC and PEC precipitates were calculated to be 97.90% and 99.58% of their theoretical values, respectively. In addition, a substantial amount of $CO_2$ was physically absorbed in the solution during the carbonation. PMC precipitates were consisted of the pure PMC and $KHCO_3$ with the weight ratio of 5:5, respectively. PEC precipitates were also mixture of the pure PEC and $KHCO_3$ with the weight ratio of 8:2, respectively. When these two precipitates were dissolved in excess water, methanol and ethanol were regenerated remaining solid $KHCO_3$ in the solutions. Therefore, the process has the potential to be one of the efficient options of CCS and CCU technologies.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.3-23
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• 2014

TThe CCS, gathering attention as a practical measure against climate change, has various potential risks within itself. Identifying those risks and developing proper countermeasures for each one, therefore, is essential. Failure to take proper measures against such risks may result in significant damages and accidents, causing social anxiety and unwillingness to accept CCS. This study proposes the precautionary principle as a fundamental principle for CCS risk management. While the justifications for the precautionary principle are acceptable, there have been criticisms on its limitations including its impracticality. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to identify detailed application strategies to overcome those limitations. The risk factors related to CCS consist of quantifiable risk domains as well as a number of those with high uncertainty and ambiguity. Thus, there is a need to develop differentiated coping measures, meaning that the precautionary principle should be applied. The risk assessment and management applying the precautionary principle has implication of social appraisal based on wide participation and communication among the interested parties, which may be a useful approach for expanding social applicability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.679-689
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• 2009

Light olefins are very important hydrocarbons widely used as the raw materials of the most petrochemicals including plastics and medicines. In addition, the nation's olefin production capacity is regarded as one of the key indicators to predict the nation's economic scale and growth. Steam cracking of naphtha (or called "NCC (Naphtha Cracking Center) technology"), the traditional process to produce light olefins, is one of the most consuming energy processes among the chemical industries. Therefore, this process causes tremendous $CO_2$ emission. To reduce the energy consumption and $CO_2$ emission from NCC process, the present paper, firstly, investigates and analyses some alternative technologies which can be potentially substituted for traditional process. Secondly, applying the alternative technologies to NCC process, their effects such as energy savings, $CO_2$ emission reduction and CER (Certified Emission Reduction) were estimated. It is found that the advanced NCC process can reduce approximately 35% of SEC (Specific Energy Consumption) of traditional NCC process. This effect can lead to the reduction of 3.3 million tons of $CO_2$ and the acquisition of the 128 billion won of CER per year. Catalytic cracking of naphtha technology, which is other alternative processes, can save up to approximately 40% of SEC of traditional NCC process. This value equates to the 3.8 million tons of $CO_2$ mitigation and 147 billion won of CER per year.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.5-11
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• 2024

Promising geological structures for carbon dioxide capture and subsurface storage include aquifers, depleted reservoirs, and gas fields. Among these, aquifers are gaining attention due to their potential for storing significant amounts of carbon dioxide compared to other geological structures. Therefore, there is a growing interest in enhancing carbon dioxide storage efficiency by understanding the characteristics of aquifers and developing technologies tailored to their properties. In this study, the storage efficiency of carbon dioxide injection following surfactant pre-injection into porous micro-models was evaluated. The results indicate that as the concentration of the surfactant solution injected prior to carbon dioxide injection increases, storage efficiency improves. Conversely, lower concentrations require more surfactant injection to enhance storage efficiency. Furthermore, under identical surfactant concentration conditions, the storage efficiency from surfactant pre-injection prior to supercritical carbon dioxide injection is approximately 30% lower compared to surfactant-co-solvent substitution as observed in previous studies. However, under the maximum concentration conditions investigated in this study, similar storage efficiencies to those of previous studies were achieved. These findings are expected to guide concentration determinations for surfactant application aimed at enhancing carbon dioxide storage efficiency in aquifers in future studies.

• Clean Technology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.229-249
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• 2012

At present, global warming and depletion of fossil fuels have been one of the big issues which should be solved for sustainable development in the future. CCS (carbon capture and sequestration) technology as the post $CO_2$ reduction technology has been considered as a promising solution for global warming due to increased carbon emission. However, the environmental and ecological effects of CCS have drawn concerns. There are needs for noble post reduction technology. More recently, CCU (carbon capture and utilization) Technology, which emphasizes transforming carbon dioxide into value-added chemicals rather than storing it, has been attracted attentions in terms of preventing global warming and recycling the renewable carbon source. In this paper, various technologies developed for carbon dioxide conversion both in gas and liquid phase have been reviewed. For the thermochemical catalysis in gas phase, the development of the catalytic system which can be performed at mild condition and the separation and purification technology with low energy supply is required. For the photochemical conversion in liquid phase, efficient photosensitizers and photocatalysts should be developed, and the photoelectrochemical systems which can utilize solar and electric energy simultaneously are also in development for more efficient carbon dioxide conversion. The energy needed in CCU must be renewable or unutilized one. CCU will be a key connection technology between renewable energy and bio industry development.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.133-160
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• 2018

$CO_2$ storage is a very important technology for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and has been considered as almost the only viable and effective option for immediate large-scale $CO_2$ sequestration. Small-scale demonstration project for offshore $CO_2$ storage in the Pohang Basin is the transitional stage R&D program for technological preparation of large-scale $CO_2$ storage project in Korea. Through the extensive exploration research for prospective $CO_2$ storage sites, the offshore strata in the Pohang Basin was recommended for the storage formation of the small-scale demonstration project. The Pohang Offshore Storage Project launched at 2013, and has accomplished the technical demonstration and technological independence in a wide range of $CO_2$ storage technology, such as geophysical exploration, storage site characterization, storage design, offshore platform construction, injection-well drilling and completion, deployment of injection facility, operation of $CO_2$ injection, and $CO_2$ monitoring. The project successfully carried out $CO_2$ test injection in early 2017, and achieved its final goal for technical development and demonstration of $CO_2$ storage in Korea. The realization of $CO_2$ injection in this project is the measurable result and has been recorded as the first success in Korea. The Pohang Offshore Storage Project has a future plan for the continuous operation of $CO_2$ injection and completion of $CO_2$ monitoring system. The project has provided in-house technical and practical expertises, which will be a solid foundation for the commercial-scale $CO_2$ storage business in Korea. Additionally, the project will help to secure national technical competitiveness in growing international technology market for $CO_2$ storage.

• JOURNAL OF ELECTRICAL WORLD
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• s.451
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• pp.22-31
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• 2014

온실가스 다량 배출로 인한 지구온난화 현상은 많은 분야에서의 변화를 요구하고 있다. 특히 온실가스 배출의 주원인으로 꼽히고 있는 발전 등 에너지산업 분야의 경우 그 요구는 매우 거세다. 과거에는 경제성장이라는 측면만 고려하면 됐지만, 지금은 기후변화 대응을 위해 환경을 최우선적으로 고려할 것을 주문하고 있기 때문이다. 문제는 현재 전 세계적으로 약 20%에 이르는 인구가 전기 에너지를 사용하지 못하고 있다는 점이다. 즉 향후 에너지를 사용하고자 하는 신규 소비자는 더욱 늘 것이고, 산업의 발전으로 인한 에너지 소비 역시 큰 폭으로 증가할 수밖에 없다. 문제가 굉장히 어렵지만 해결책도 분명 존재한다. 결론적으로 말해 온실가스 배출을 최소화하면서도 에너지 효율은 높인 기술을 개발하면 되는 것이다. 그리고 이미 세계 각국은 청정에너지 기술개발을 위해 다각도의 노력을 펼치고 있는 상황이다. 그렇다면 세계 각국은 미래 에너지시장을 선도할 청정에너지 기술로 어떤 것을 꼽고 있을까. 이 질문에 대한 대답은 지난 5월 서울에서 개최된 '제5차 클린에너지장관회의(CEM, Clean Energy Ministerial)'에서 제시된 바 있다. CEM은 한국, 미국, 영국, 독일, 중국, 일본 등 세계 에너지의 70%를 사용하는 주요 국가의 관계 장관들이 모여 클린에너지 공급 확대와 에너지효율 향상을 위한 구체적 액션플랜을 논의하는 자리다. 2010년 미국에서 첫 회의가 열렸고 아랍에미리트, 영국, 인도에 이어 한국은 5번째로 CEM을 개최했다. 특히 이번 CEM에서는 회원국들의 의견을 모아 10대 청정에너지 혁신기술을 최초로 선정, 발표했다. CEM은 "향후 10년 간 에너지 시장의 변화를 선도할 유망 기술을 선정한 것으로 IEA 등 국제기구와 주요국 기술 로드맵을 기준으로 해 23개 회원국 회람을 거쳐 최종 확정하게 됐다"고 배경을 설명했다. 이번에 선정된 10대 청정에너지 혁신기술은 ${\triangle}$초고압직류송전 ${\triangle}$에너지저장장치 ${\triangle}$바이오연료 ${\triangle}$마이크로 그리드 ${\triangle}$탄소포집 및 저장 ${\triangle}$초고효율 태양광 발전 ${\triangle}$해상풍력 ${\triangle}$신재생에너지 하이브리드시스템 ${\triangle}$빅데이터 에너지관리시스템 ${\triangle}$지열 시스템이다. 이와 관련해 산업통상자원부 윤상직 장관은 "이번에 선정된 10개의 기술은 최근의 기술적 정책적 추세가 잘 반영된 결과"라고 평가했다. 특히 윤 장관은 "중앙집중형 공급원에서 분산형 전원으로의 변화, 에너지 효율향상의 중요성, ICT와 융 복합 추세 등 우리나라의 상황에서 시사하는 바가 크다"며 "현재 수립하고 있는 '제3차 국가에너지기술 개발계획'에 이러한 기술적 추세를 반영하겠다"는 의사를 표명했다. 향후 10년 간 에너지시장의 변화를 선도할 10대 청정에너지 유망기술을 자세히 소개한다.