In the Moon Jae-in administration, new and renewable energy facilities such as solar power increased significantly, but it was found that they did not play a role in the bad weather such as snow and rain. It is pointed out that it has shown the limits of renewable energy sensitive to climate change.
Market share by power generation source during peak hours January. Graphic = Reporter Park Kyung-min [email protected]
According to the’Power of the People’s Power of the People’s Power of the People Young-Seok Yoon’s data submitted by the Korea Power Exchange, the percentage of solar power generation during the peak times of the 1st to 14th of last month was only 0.4%. It was counted. This is because the heavy snowfall that fell on the 6th of last month caused snow to accumulate on the solar panel, and the power generation efficiency of the solar power declined due to the lowering of the temperature, and the power production was restricted.
Even in the summer of last year, the role of sunlight was insignificant due to the inclement weather. During peak hours in July last year, the proportion of solar power generation accounted for only 0.8% and in August only 1.8%. It is analyzed that the longest rainy season ever recorded for 54 days from June 24 last year in the central region had an impact. In addition, when the temperature of solar power generation rises above 25 degrees, the module overheats and power generation efficiency decreases.
Share by power generation source during peak hours July. Graphic = Reporter Park Kyung-min [email protected]
Above all, solar power was’useless’ at night when the demand for electricity was high. Solar power recorded 0% of power generation during peak hours, seven times in July last year and two times on the 1st to 14th of last month, and all peak hours on that day were during sunset. Wind power generation was also not very helpful in power supply during peak hours, staying at 0.5% from 1st to 14th of last month, 0.2% of last year, and 0.3% of August.
Professor Joo Han-gyu of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Seoul National University said in a telephone conversation with JoongAng Ilbo, “Solar power cannot produce electricity at night, on cloudy days, or when it snows. At that time, the demand for cooling and heating power used to increase rapidly, but it could not be operated accordingly.”
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Power Exchange, the proportion of new and renewable energy facilities capacity was 9% in 2016 and 13% in 2019. It increased to 15.8% in 2020. However, the rate of increase in total power generation is slow, from 5% in 2016 to 6.5% in 2019 (the figure for 2020 is not announced).
![A solar panel installed at a university in Korea is covered with snow. [뉴시스]](https://i0.wp.com/pds.joins.com/news/component/htmlphoto_mmdata/202102/12/28f0b925-1353-4265-aebd-4c219361817c.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
A solar panel installed at a university in Korea is covered with snow. [뉴시스]
Rep. Yoon Young-seok said, “The area of the forest damaged by solar power installation for about three and a half years from 2017 to May last year is about 17 times the area of Yeouido, Seoul, and there is a lot of controversy about environmental destruction.” If so, the contribution to the total amount of power generation is relatively low, and the weakness of new and renewable energy with jagged power generation becomes more pronounced.”
According to the National Institute of Environmental Sciences, solar power generation by season was in the order of’Spring〉 Autumn〉 Summer〉 Winter. On the other hand, electricity consumption was in the order of’Winter〉 Summer〉 Spring〉 Autumn. Even if we look at each season, it is said that the amount of solar power generation moves in the exact opposite direction to the power demand that explodes in summer and winter.
Experts point out that unstable energy supply and demand may become unstable if the proportion of new and renewable energy generation is increased without considering these limitations. The government, which has declared de-nuclear and coal-free, is using LNG power generation as a’complementary power source’ to make up for the shortcomings of new and renewable energy, whose power generation is not constant according to external conditions.
Even if the price is 4 times higher, the purchase is 2 times… ‘LNG paradox’ that grew before nuclear power plant
The problem is that all LNG is imported from abroad. Even if the price traded in the overseas market rises significantly, in order to meet the domestic demand for heating and cooling electricity, it must be brought in at a high price.
According to data received by Congressman Young-Seok Yoon from the Korea Gas Corporation, the international average price of LNG spots (direct purchase in kind) last month was as high as 32.50 USD/MMBtu as of Jan. 13-14, on Dec. 1 last year (7.857 USD/MMBtu) Compared to that in a month, it soared more than four times. However, last month’s LNG (spot basis) purchase volume was 55 million MMBtu, more than doubled compared to last December (21 million MMBtu).
Korea Gas Corporation said, “As the demand for LNG in heating and power generation has increased a lot, the price has risen significantly due to the impact of this winter being colder globally compared to the previous year.” “We do not live according to the international average price, but rather lower it through negotiations. However, in the current situation, because the quantity is insufficient, it is unavoidable that we have to bring in more products through spot trading even at high prices.”
This energy cost burden is passed on to the consumer. Rep. Yoon Young-seok said, “The government’s energy conversion policy based on the post-nuclear power plant in a country that does not produce a single drop of oil has no choice but to increase the dependence on energy imports. I emphasized.
Professor Joo Han-Gyu Facebook
Some point out that the government is exaggerating the power generation and economic effects of renewable energy. A representative case is that President Moon Jae-in said, “The 8.2GW of electricity produced here is equivalent to the power generation of six new Korean nuclear power plants” in relation to the offshore wind farm being built in Shinan, Jeollanam-do.
Professor Joo Han-gyu pointed out, “Is this not possible to distinguish between facility capacity and power generation? Prof. Joo said, “Wind power generation is generated for an average of 7 hours a day because there are many times when the wind is not blowing, and electricity cannot be generated for the remaining 17 hours. Taking this into account, the generation of offshore wind farms is one-third of six nuclear power plants. It’s just the level.”
Sejong = Reporter Son Hae-yong and Kim Nam-jun [email protected]