South Korea was 5.7 Mtoe or 1.89% of total energy consumption, including 0.7
Mtoe of hydroelectricity.
Prevailing trends in the energy intensity of GDP are compared in Fig. 2.13.
Energy intensity of GDP in 2018 has sharply declined compared to that in 1990.
Japan has the lowest energy intensity of GDP and China the highest. From 2013,
primary energy consumption per GDP PPP (constant 2011 international USD) in
China is lower than that in South Korea. In 2018, China recorded the lowest level, at
0.145 toe/USD compared to 0.158 toe/USD in South Korea. Gaps in energy intensity
among China, Japan, and South Korea are narrowing. For instance, the gap in energy
intensity of nominal GDP between Japan and China in 1990 was 0.874 toe/USD,
narrowing to 0.187 toe/USD in 2018.
In China, coal remains the largest source of electricity, accounting for approximately 70% of the nation’s electricity in 2018 (Fig. 2.14). Due to high levels of
PM2.5 pollution nationwide and pressure to achieve emission reduction targets,
China, as the world’s biggest GHG emitter, is expected to act rapidly to transfer to
cleaner energy. As part of its 13th Five-Year Plan, a total of 150 GW of new coal
capacity has been canceled or postponed until at least 2020 (National Energy
Administration 2017). Increasingly strict controls on total coal capacity and power
plant emissions are expected to result in the retirement of up to 20 GW of older plant
capacity and spur technological upgrades to China’s remaining 1000 GW of coal
power. Other fuels, such as natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables, are expected
to make up increasing shares of electricity generation in China in the future.
In 2010, a year before the Tohoku earthquake, the composition of power sources
in Japan was coal (27.8%), liquefied natural gas (LNG, 29.0%), oil (8.6%), nuclear
(25.1%), hydroelectric (7.3%), and other renewables (2.2%; Fig. 2.15). Due to the
temporary closure of nuclear power plants after 2011, the percentage of nuclear
declined to 0 in 2014 before slightly increasing to 8.9% in 2018 (BP 2019). Oil and
LNG generation increased to compensate for the decline in nuclear. Renewables also
compensated for some of the decline in nuclear power, increasing from 2.2% in
2010. Annual renewable electricity generation was 168.35 TWh, including 90.67
TWh of hydroelectricity, contributing approximately 16.73% of electricity generation in 2018 (BP 2019).
Like Japan, South Korea is a major energy importer. Electricity generation mainly
comes from conventional thermal power. South Korea began its transition to cleaner
energy with a 2017 power supply plan. Over 60 coal power plants are in operation in
South Korea, one-third of which are due for retrofitting. The country has placed a
heavy emphasis on nuclear power generation, accounting for nearly 30% of electricity. Despite the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, the South
Korean government planned for significant expansion of its nuclear power industry,
aiming to increase the share of electricity generation accounted for by nuclear to
60% by 2035. However, this was cancelled in 2017, leading to promotion of
renewable energy in South Korea. In 2018, annual renewable electricity generation
was 19.00 TWh, including 7.29 TWh of hydroelectricity, contributing approximately 3.28% of electricity generation (Fig. 2.16).
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X. Qian et al.
Mtoe of hydroelectricity.
Prevailing trends in the energy intensity of GDP are compared in Fig. 2.13.
Energy intensity of GDP in 2018 has sharply declined compared to that in 1990.
Japan has the lowest energy intensity of GDP and China the highest. From 2013,
primary energy consumption per GDP PPP (constant 2011 international USD) in
China is lower than that in South Korea. In 2018, China recorded the lowest level, at
0.145 toe/USD compared to 0.158 toe/USD in South Korea. Gaps in energy intensity
among China, Japan, and South Korea are narrowing. For instance, the gap in energy
intensity of nominal GDP between Japan and China in 1990 was 0.874 toe/USD,
narrowing to 0.187 toe/USD in 2018.
In China, coal remains the largest source of electricity, accounting for approximately 70% of the nation’s electricity in 2018 (Fig. 2.14). Due to high levels of
PM2.5 pollution nationwide and pressure to achieve emission reduction targets,
China, as the world’s biggest GHG emitter, is expected to act rapidly to transfer to
cleaner energy. As part of its 13th Five-Year Plan, a total of 150 GW of new coal
capacity has been canceled or postponed until at least 2020 (National Energy
Administration 2017). Increasingly strict controls on total coal capacity and power
plant emissions are expected to result in the retirement of up to 20 GW of older plant
capacity and spur technological upgrades to China’s remaining 1000 GW of coal
power. Other fuels, such as natural gas, nuclear power, and renewables, are expected
to make up increasing shares of electricity generation in China in the future.
In 2010, a year before the Tohoku earthquake, the composition of power sources
in Japan was coal (27.8%), liquefied natural gas (LNG, 29.0%), oil (8.6%), nuclear
(25.1%), hydroelectric (7.3%), and other renewables (2.2%; Fig. 2.15). Due to the
temporary closure of nuclear power plants after 2011, the percentage of nuclear
declined to 0 in 2014 before slightly increasing to 8.9% in 2018 (BP 2019). Oil and
LNG generation increased to compensate for the decline in nuclear. Renewables also
compensated for some of the decline in nuclear power, increasing from 2.2% in
2010. Annual renewable electricity generation was 168.35 TWh, including 90.67
TWh of hydroelectricity, contributing approximately 16.73% of electricity generation in 2018 (BP 2019).
Like Japan, South Korea is a major energy importer. Electricity generation mainly
comes from conventional thermal power. South Korea began its transition to cleaner
energy with a 2017 power supply plan. Over 60 coal power plants are in operation in
South Korea, one-third of which are due for retrofitting. The country has placed a
heavy emphasis on nuclear power generation, accounting for nearly 30% of electricity. Despite the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, the South
Korean government planned for significant expansion of its nuclear power industry,
aiming to increase the share of electricity generation accounted for by nuclear to
60% by 2035. However, this was cancelled in 2017, leading to promotion of
renewable energy in South Korea. In 2018, annual renewable electricity generation
was 19.00 TWh, including 7.29 TWh of hydroelectricity, contributing approximately 3.28% of electricity generation (Fig. 2.16).
46
X. Qian et al.