• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.378-384
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• 2019

In the food wastewater treatment facilities, the water quality improvement effect and the greenhouse gas emission amount followed by the change in electricity usage through a change of the aeration tank ventilation system were evaluated. also, the amount of greenhouse gas emission followed by the change in electricity usage through the change of the sludge dewatering, storage, transporting method was also evaluated. The total GHG emission from food wastewater treatment facility improvement were divided into direct emissions from the treatment processes and indirect ones from electricity usage. The water quality improvement effect of wastewater treatment plant was found to be 63.3% for BOD removal rate, 42.0% for COD removal rate, 71.0% for SS removal rate and 39.6% for T-N removal rate. and according to the results of calculating output by applying both direct emissions of greenhouse gas (Scope 1) and the indirect emission (Scope 2) of greenhouse gas followed by changes in power consumption. It was estimated that there was a total of 276.0tCO2eq./yr(7.5%) greenhouse gas reduction effect from 3,668.8tCO2eq./yr before improvement to 3,392.8tCO2eq./yr after improvement. In this result is not due to the effects of water quality improvement of emission source, but because the reduction in electricity use has reduced the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.37-48
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• 2024

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are obligated to reduce carbon emissions as a part of public sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. However, Sewage Statistics(2022) shows that CO₂ emissions per wastewater treatment volumes have decreased by only 3.03 % compared to 2020, which is far from enough to meet the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets. This study aimed to find operational conditions of biological reactors that minimize total carbon footprint (CFP). Total CFP considers both direct emissions from biological processes and indirect emissions from energy consumption. A study was conducted using a computer simulation program which is called as EQPS for a 4-stage BNR WWTP. The results showed that total CFP was reduced by 10.97% compared to the design condition when the mixed liquor recirculation (MLR) was set to 100 % of the influent flow. The N₂O emission factor (EF) of the target WWTP was calculated to be 0.138-0.199 %, which is significantly lower than the IPCC default value of 1.6 %. This study proposes a method to minimize total CFP in WWTPs by optimizing biological reactor operation and emphasizes the need for further research on N₂O emission reduction.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.356-370
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• 2017

The energy savings and $CO_2$ emission reductions obtainable from the situation that the Smart Grid system (SGs) is assumed to be applied in Korea up to 2030 is quantitatively analyzed with many reported data. For calculation, SGs is divided into five sectors such as Smart Transmission and Distribution (ST&D), Smart Consumer (SC), Smart Electricity Service (SES), Smart Renewable Energy (SRE) and Smart Transportation (ST). Total annual energy savings in 2030 is estimated to be approximately 103,121 GWh and this is 13.1% of total electricity consumption outlook. Based on this value, total amount of reducible $CO_2$ emissions is calculated to 55.38 million $tCO_2$, which is 17.6% of total nation's GHG reduction target. Although the contribution of energy saving due to SGs to total electricity consumption increases as years go by, that of $CO_2$ emission reduction gradually decreases. This might be because that coal fired based power generation is planned to be sharply increased and the rate of $CO_2$ emission reduction scheduled by nation is very fast. The contributable portion of five each sector to total $CO_2$ emission reductions in 2030 is estimated to be 44.37% for SC, 29.16% for SRE, 20.12% for SES, 5.11% for ST&D, and 1.24% for ST.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.267-271
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• 2013

Test bed studies with highly efficient amine $CO_2$ solvent (KoSol-4) developed by KEPCO research institute were performed. For the first time in Korea, evaluation of post-combustion $CO_2$ capture technology to capture 2 ton $CO_2$/day from a slipstream of the flue gas from a coal-fired power station was performed. Also the analysis of solvent regeneration energy was conducted to suggest the reliable performance data of the KoSol-4 solvent. For this purpose, we have tested 5 campaigns changing the operating conditions of the solvent flow rate and the stripper pressure. The overall results of these campaigns showed that the $CO_2$ removal rate met the technical guideline ($CO_2$ removal rate: 90%) suggested by IEA-GHG and that the regeneration energy of the KoSol-4 showed about 3.0~3.2 GJ/$tCO_2$ which was, compared to that of the commercial solvent MEA (Monoethanolamine), about 25% reduction of regeneration energy. Based on these results, we could confirm the good performance of the KoSol-4 solvent and the $CO_2$ capture process developed by KEPCO research institute. And also it was expected that the cost of $CO_2$ avoided could be reduced drastically if the KoSol-4 is applied to the commercial scale $CO_2$ capture plant.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.55-93
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• 2012

In Korea, energy policies are actualized through various energy-related plans. Recently, however, as high-ranking plans, which are very vision-oriented, continually set higher sector-by-sector goals, subordinate action plans, which require consistency, encounter distortions in their establishment process. Also, each subordinate action plan reveals limitations in terms of securing flexibility of the plan in responding to uncertainties of the future. These problems pose potential risks such as causing huge social costs. In this regard, with an aim to provide empirical evidence for discussions on improving the procedure for developing and executing Korea's energy plans, this study mainly analyzes the Basic Plan on Electricity Demand and Supply-one of the most important subordinate action plans-in order to explain the problems of the Basic Plan in a logical manner, and potential problems that could occur in the process of sustaining consistency between the Basic Plan and its higher-ranking plans. Further, this paper estimates the scale of social costs caused by those problems assuming realistic conditions. According to the result, in the case of where maximum electric power is estimated to be 7% (15%) less than the actual amount in the Basic Plan on Electricity Demand and Supply, the annual generation cost will rise by 286 billion won and (1.2 trillion won) in 2020. Such social costs are found to occur even when establishing and executing the Basic plan according to the target goal set by its higher-ranking plan, the National Energy Master Plan. In addition, when another higher-ranking GHG reduction master plan requires the electricity sector to reduce emissions by additional 5% in the GHG emissions from the right mix in electricity generation with 'zero' cost of carbon emission, the annual generation cost will rise by approximately 915 billion won in 2020. On the other hand, the analysis finds that since economic feasibility of electric powers in Korea varies significantly depending on their type, Korea is expected to face very small potential social costs caused by uncertainties over the future price of carbon dioxide in the process of establishing the Basic Plan.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.463-476
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• 2017

Climate change is considered as the greatest threat to our future and descendants. The Korean government has set a target for 2030 to reduce emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) by 37% from the business-as-usual levels which are projected to reach 851 million metric tons of $CO_2eq$ (Carbon dioxide equivalent). In Korea, GHGs emission from agriculture account for almost 3.1% of the total of anthropogenic GHGs. The GHGs emitted from agricultural land are largely classified into three types: carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), methane ($CH_4$), and nitrous oxide ($N_2O$). In Korea, rice paddies are one of the largest agricultural $CH_4$ sources. In order to analyze domestic research trends related to $CH_4$ emission from rice paddies, 93 academic publications including peer reviewed journals, books, working papers, reports, etc., published from 1995 to September 2017, were critically reviewed. The results were classified according to the research purposes. $CH_4$ characteristics and assessment were found to account for approximately 65.9% of the research trends, development of $CH_4$ emission factors for 9.5%, $CH_4$ emission reduction technology for 14.8%, and $CH_4$ emission modeling for 6.3%, etc. A number of research related to $CH_4$ emission characteristics and assessment have been studied in recent years, whereas further study on $CH_4$ emission factors are required to determine an accurate country-specific GHG emission from rice paddies. Future research should be directed toward both studies for reducing the release of $CH_4$ from rice paddies to the atmosphere and the understanding of the major controlling factors affecting $CH_4$ emission.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.25-35
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• 2011

In order to reduce Green House Gas(GHG) reduction in the road freight sector and thus establish green logistics, running efficiency of goods vehicles is of paramount importance. Providing effective transportation infrastructure can contribute to achieve the green logistics by reducing empty running of heavy goods vehicles and van, increasing the average payload on the vehicle, and shifting the transportation mode. In order to reduce the environmental impact from the road freight sector, it is essential to quantify the amount of environmental loading from the sector. However, any systematic survey on the environmental loading from the logistics companies has not been carried out in Korea. In this study, the environmental index for the road freight sector is defined as the amount of $CO_2$ emission per ton km generated from goods vehicles. The computational analysis shows that the average $CO_2$ emission per ton km generated by the logistics companies in Korea is $363g-CO_2/ton{\cdot}km$. Compared to UK (=$130g-CO_2/ton{\cdot}km$) and France (=$97g-CO_2/ton{\cdot}km$), the efficiency of logistics in Korea is 2.8 and 3.7 times as low as in the advanced countries. It also indicates that the main reasons for the low efficiency are mainly due to the high rate of empty operation of goods vehicles and the low payload.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.41-50
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to review the U.S. renewable energy policies implemented by the federal government and the state governments to investigate potential barriers of renewable energy expansion and to develop policy implications for the successful renewable energy policy making in Korea. Recently, the restructuring in the energy supply chain has been being a new trend in many countries that shows a transition from traditional fossil fuels to sustainable renewable energy sources. The United States has enforced effective renewable energy policies (i.e., regulatory policies, financial incentives), which have led to the exploding growth of renewable energy facilities and productions over the last ten years. For example, many state governments in the U.S. are implementing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) policies that require increased energy supply from renewable energy sources (i.e., solar, wind and geothermal). These RPS policies are expected to account for at least 10-50 percent of total electricity production in the next fifteen years. As part of results, in the recent three years, renewable energy in the U.S provided over 50 percent of total new power generation constructions. On the other hand, Korea initiated to develop climate change policies in 2008 for the Green Growth Policy that set up a target reduction of national Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions up to 37 percent by 2025. However, statistical data for accumulated renewable energy capacity refer that Korea is still in its early stage that contribute to only 7 percent of the total electricity production capacity and of which hydroelectric power occupied most of the production. Thus, new administration in Korea announced a new renewable energy policy (Renewable Energy 3020 Plan) in 2017 that will require over 95 percent of the total new generations as renewable energy facilities to achieve up to 20 percent of the total electricity production from renewable energy sources by 2030. However, to date, there have not been enough studies to figure out the barriers of the current policy environment and to develop implications about renewable energy policies to support the government plan in Korea. Therefore, this study reviewed the U.S. renewable energy policies compared with Korean policies that could show model cases to introduce related policies and to develop improved incentives to rapidly spread out renewable energy facilities in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.51-64
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• 2011

Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (CCS) is one of the key players in greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction portfolio for mitigating climate change. CCS makes simultaneously it possible not only to reduce a huge amount of carbon dioxide directly from the emission sources (e.g., coal power plant) but also to maintain the carbon concentrated-energy and/or industry infrastructure. Internationally, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is dealing the agenda for considering the possibility of including CCS project as one of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects. Despite its usefulness, however, there are the controversies in including CCS as the CDM project, whose issues include i) non-permanence, including long-term permanence, ii) measuring, reporting and verification (MRV), iii) environmental impacts, iv) project activity boundaries, v) international law, vi) liability, vii) the potential for perverse outcomes, viii) safety, and ix) insurance coverage and compensation for damages caused due to seepage or leakage. In this paper, those issues in considering CCS as CDM are summarized and analyzed in order to suggest some considerations to policy makers in realizing the CCS project in Korea in the future.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.921-931
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• 2009

For the assessment of climate change impacts for the Byeongseong stream, CGCM 3.1 T63 is selected as future climate information. The projections come from CGCM used to simulate the GHG emission scenario known as A2. Air temperature and precipitation information from the GCM simulations are converted to regional scale data using the statistical downscaling method known as MSPG. Downscaled climate data from GCM are then used as the input data for the SWAT model to generate regional runoff and water quality estimates in the Byeongseong stream. As a result of simple sensitivity analysis, the increase of CO2 concentration leads to increase water yield through reduction of evapotranspiration and increase of soil water. Hydrologic responses to climate change are in phase with precipitation change. Climate change is expected to reduce water yields in the period of 2021-2030. In the period of 2051-2060, stream flow is expected to be reduced in spring season and increased in summer season. While soil losses are also in phase with water yields, nutrient discharges (i.e., total nitrogen) are not always in phase with precipitation change. However, it should be noted that there are a lot of uncertainties in such multiple-step analysis used to convert climate information from GCM-based future climate projections into hydrologic information.