[전지성의 눈] Energy policy that preceded the declaration, must be changed in the new year

Starting with the declaration of carbon neutrality at the end of the year, the government pushed for major energy policies such as reorganization of the electricity rate system, the 9th basic plan for power supply and demand, and the 5th basic plan for new and renewable energy.

Declaration is hastily and detailed plans such as financing can not be erased from the feeling that postponement is repeated.

President Moon Jae-in declared carbon neutrality in 2050 through a municipal speech in the National Assembly last October, and even gave a speech to the public. In November of last year, the G20 (20 major countries) summit and the climate goal summit in commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Change Agreement on December 12, he reaffirmed his commitment to carbon neutrality to the international community.

After that, on December 17th, KEPCO implemented a reorganization of the tariff system that reflected climate and environment costs in electricity rates.

Subsequently, the 9th Basic Plan for Electric Power Supply and Demand was finalized through a written report of individual members of the National Assembly on December 21-23, an online public hearing on Christmas Eve on the 24th, consecutive holidays on the 25-27th, and the Power Policy Deliberation Committee on the morning of the 28th. On the next day, the 29th, the 5th basic plan for new and renewable energy was passed.

The declaration was made, but the review of the technical and financial possibilities is still incomplete. It is unclear how much and how much it will cost to build a new and renewable facility of about 80 GW to produce 10.8 gigawatts of electricity by 2034. The key issue of carbon neutrality, a plan to ease the burden on businesses and consumers, was also handed over to the next government.

It is also self-confident that it will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing nuclear power plants, a source of carbon-free power generation, while producing 53% of the power generation from fossil fuels such as’coal’ and’LNG (liquefied natural gas). Moreover, LNG is mostly concentrated in densely populated areas, so social costs are needed to eliminate pollution. In order to achieve 2050 carbon neutrality, all LNG, which has expanded rapidly by 2034, must be removed for 16 years, but there is no alternative to coal/LNG 88.1GW after that.

Those who set up the ninth biography said that the’carbon neutral’ policy strongly demanded by the president was a plan until 2050 and was not reflected in the plan until 2034.

Even though one year was delayed, an important part was missing. The current government’s term of office has entered its final year. There is an atmosphere in which the burden for the implementation of numerous declarations and plans is passed on to the next government. Rather than hoping that the remaining one year of the government’s tenure in the new year will pass as soon as possible, I hope that it will be a year of hope that even one year can be expected.