Energy technology roadmap for the next 10 years: The case of Korea

The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), the only government-sponsored research institute specialized in the development of energy technology and policy, has established a long-term strategic energy technology roadmap (ETRM) for the period spanning from 2006 to 2015. Taking into account such variables as the energy environment, economic spin-off, and commercial potential, the ETRM was classified into 3 sectors, namely high oil prices, the UNFCCC, and the hydrogen economy. The ETRM not only represents a milestone in terms of the development of national energy technology in Korea, but also serves to identify the primary energy technologies which should be developed. The ETRM also supplies energy policymakers with successful R&D alternatives vis-à-vis the development of energy technologies under the current Korean energy environment.     

Measuring the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies for implementing the hydrogen economy: An integrated fuzzy AHP/DEA approach

To provide and improve national energy security and low-carbon green energy economy, as a government-supported research institute related to developing new and renewable energy technologies, including energy efficiency, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) needs to establish a long-term strategic energy technology roadmap (ETRM) in the hydrogen economy sector for sustainable economic development. In this paper, we establish a strategic ETRM for hydrogen energy technologies in the hydrogen economy considering five criteria: economic impact (EI), commercial potential (CP), inner capacity (IC), technical spin-off (TS), and development cost (DC). As an extended research, we apply the integrated two-stage multi-criteria decision-making approach, including the hybrid fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) model, to assess the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies in order to scientifically implement the hydrogen economy. Fuzzy AHP reflects the vagueness of human thought with interval values, and allocates the relative importance and weights of four criteria: EI, CP, IC, and TS. The DEA approach measures the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies for the hydrogen economy with a ratio of outputs over inputs.The result of measuring the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies focuses on 4 hydrogen technologies out of 13 hydrogen energy technologies. KIER has to focus on developing 4 strategic hydrogen energy technologies from economic view point in the first phase with limited resources. In addition, if energy policy makers consider as some candidates for strategic hydrogen technologies of the other 9 hydrogen energy technology, the performance and productivity of 9 hydrogen energy technologies should be increased and the input values of them have to be decreased.With a scientific decision-making approach, we can assess the relative efficiency of hydrogen energy technologies efficiently and allocate limited research and development (R&D) resources effectively for well-focused R&D.     

Econometric analysis of the R&D performance in the national hydrogen energy technology development for measuring relative efficiency: The fuzzy AHP/DEA integrated model approach

Hydrogen energy technology can be one of the best key players related to the sector of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the hydrogen economy. Comparing to other technologies, hydrogen energy technology is more environmentally sound and friendly energy technology and has great potential as a future dominant energy carrier. Advanced nations including Korea have been focusing on the development of hydrogen energy technology R&D for the sustainable development and low carbon green society. In this paper, we applied the integrated fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (Fuzzy AHP) and the data envelopment analysis (DEA) for measuring the relative efficiency of the R&D performance in the national hydrogen energy technology development. On the first stage, the fuzzy AHP effectively reflects the vagueness of human thought. On the second stage, the DEA approach measures the relative efficiency of the national R&D performance in the sector of hydrogen energy technology development with economic viewpoints. The efficiency score can be the fundamental data for policymakers for the well focused R&D planning.     

Prospect of hydrogen energy in Asia-Pacific: A perspective review on techno-socio-economy nexus

This paper reviews the prospect to institute the inter-state hydrogen energy system on selected countries in Asia-Pacific region, through individual evaluation from the nexus of technology, social and economy perspectives, and further utilizing the respective strengths to identify the inter-state hydrogen network strategy in Asia-Pacific region, or ‘Asia-Pacific Hydrogen Valley’. Domestic energy self-sufficiency based on the existing energy sources produced nationally is also considered in the review. In looking into the prospective of hydrogen energy system adoption, four indicators are set based on domestic energy capacity, national wealth, society development and research and development (R&D), which are generalized according to the population size of the country. Countries of assessment are Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. This study reveals that nations with active hydrogen policies and high R&D capacity could lead the strategy, while countries with high capacity in primary energy supply and economy advantage would benefit the group in catering the energy and commercial resources, respectively. Social acceptance is another critical aspect, as countries with high social security index could potentially reduce the risk of public rebuttal against the energy system transformation. This paper also extensively discusses the existing energy profile, policies and strategies of each country, which become the basis in potential identification of the country to adopt the new hydrogen energy system in the future.     

Impact of energy technology patents in China: Evidence from a panel cointegration and error correction model

Enhancing energy technology innovation performance, which is widely measured by energy technology patents through energy technology research and development (R&D) activities, is a fundamental way to implement energy conservation and emission abatement. This study analyzes the effects of R&D investment activities, economic growth, and energy price on energy technology patents in 30 provinces of China over the period 1999–2013. Several unit root tests indicate that all the above variables are generated by panel unit root processes, and a panel cointegration model is confirmed among the variables. In order to ensure the consistency of the estimators, the Fully-Modified OLS (FMOLS) method is adopted, and the results indicate that R&D investment activities and economic growth have positive effects on energy technology patents while energy price has a negative effect. However, the panel error correction models indicate that the cointegration relationship helps to promote economic growth, but it reduces R&D investment and energy price in the short term. Therefore, market-oriented measures including financial support and technical transformation policies for the development of low-carbon energy technologies, an effective energy price mechanism, especially the targeted fossil-fuel subsidies and their die away mode are vital in promoting China's energy technology innovation.     

Technologies and policies for the transition to a sustainable energy system in china

The paper highlights the energy dilemma in China’s modernization process. It explores the technological and policy options for the transition to a sustainable energy system in China with Tsinghua University’s Low Carbon Energy Model (LCEM). China has already taken intensive efforts to promote research, development, demonstration and commercialization of sustainable energy technologies over the past five year. The policy actions cover binding energy conservation and environmental pollution control targets, economic incentives for sustainable energy, and public R&D supports. In order to achieve the sustainable energy system transformation eventually, however, China needs to take further actions such as strengthening R&D of radically innovative sustainable energy technologies and systems such as poly-generation, enhancing the domestic manufacturing capacity of sustainable energy technologies and systems, creating stronger economic incentives for research, development, demonstration and commercialization of sustainable energy technologies, and playing a leading role in international technology collaborations.     

A study on making a long-term improvement in the national energy efficiency and GHG control plans by the AHP approach

Owing to the expiration of the national 10-year period plan and the establishment of an efficient energy and resource technology R&D system, the Korean government needs to make a strategic long-term national energy and resource technology R&D plan (NERP) to cope with forthcoming 10-year period. A new NERP aims to improve the energy intensity, reduce the emissions of greenhouse gas within the United Nations framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC), and contribute to the construction of an advanced economic system. We determine the priorities in technology development for the energy efficiency and greenhouse gas control plans (EGCP), which are parts of a new NERP, by using the AHP approach for the first time. We suggest a scientific procedure to determine the priorities in technology development by using AHP.     

The country-dependent shaping of ‘hydrogen niche’ formation: A comparative case study of the UK and South Korea from the innovation system perspective

This paper reports an international comparison of hydrogen niche formation in the UK and South Korea with special regard to policy development. Hydrogen energy development has provided us with a good example of ongoing phenomena during the early stage of socio-technical transition, in other words, the socio-technical niche. The purpose of the case studies was to see the country dependence in shaping the early stage (the period between the year 2002 and 2005) of hydrogen niche formation from the national innovation system perspective. The findings show certain differences in the background of hydrogen energy policies and the manners of policy development. There also are differences in the R&D activities, including not only the way in which they are performed, but also the strategic focussing of R&D, which have been influenced by R&D systems and the industrial structures of the national innovation systems. Vision-articulating processes and the roles and tendency towards intervention of governments are diverse. The research result will contribute to better understanding of the geography of socio-technical transition with empirical evidence. From that, one will be hinted that the hydrogen future may be diverse in different locations.     

Future costs of key low-carbon energy technologies: Harmonization and aggregation of energy technology expert elicitation data

In this paper we standardize, compare, and aggregate results from thirteen surveys of technology experts, performed over a period of five years using a range of different methodologies, but all aiming at eliciting expert judgment on the future cost of five key energy technologies and how future costs might be influenced by public R&D investments. To enable researchers and policy makers to use the wealth of collective knowledge obtained through these expert elicitations we develop and present a set of assumptions to harmonize them. We also aggregate expert estimates within each study and across studies to facilitate the comparison. The analysis showed that, as expected, technology costs are expected to go down by 2030 with increasing levels of R&D investments, but that there is not a high level of agreement between individual experts or between studies regarding the technology areas that would benefit the most from R&D investments. This indicates that further study of prospective cost data may be useful to further inform R&D investments. We also found that the contributions of additional studies to the variance of costs in one technology area differed by technology area, suggesting that (barring new information about the downsides of particular forms of elicitations) there may be value in not only including a diverse and relatively large group of experts, but also in using different methods to collect estimates.     

Optimal policy of energy innovation in developing countries: Development of solar PV in Iran

The purpose of this study is to apply managerial economics and methods of decision analysis to study the optimal pattern of innovation activities for development of new energy technologies in developing countries. For this purpose, a model of energy research and development (R&D) planning is developed and it is then linked to a bottom-up energy-systems model. The set of interlinked models provide a comprehensive analytical tool for assessment of energy technologies and innovation planning taking into account the specific conditions of developing countries. An energy-system model is used as a tool for the assessment and prioritization of new energy technologies. Based on the results of the technology assessment model, the optimal R&D resources allocation for new energy technologies is estimated with the help of the R&D planning model. The R&D planning model is based on maximization of the total net present value of resulting R&D benefits taking into account the dynamics of technological progress, knowledge and experience spillovers from advanced economies, technology adoption and R&D constraints. Application of the set of interlinked models is explained through the analysis of the development of solar PV in Iranian electricity supply system and then some important policy insights are concluded.     

Carbon black and hydrogen production process analysis

The adoption of new environmentally responsible technologies, as well as, energy efficiency improvements in equipment and processes help to reduce CO2 rate emission into the atmosphere, contributing in delaying the consequences of intensive use of fossil fuels. For more effective actions, it is necessary to make the transition from the fossil-based to the renewable source economy. In this context, hydrogen fuel has a special role as clean vector of energy. Hydrogen has the potential to be decisive in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, but fossil fuels high profitability due to global energy dependency actually drives the global economy.While renewable energy sources are not worldwide fully established, new technologies should be developed and used for the recovery of energetic streams nowadays wasted, to decarbonize hydrocarbons and to improve systems efficiency creating a path that can help nations and industries in the needed energy economy transition. Hydrogen gas can be generated by various methods from different sources such as coal and water. Currently, almost all of the hydrogen production is for industrial purpose and comes from the Steam Reforming, while the use of hydrogen in fuel cells is only incipient.The article analysis the plasma pyrolysis of hydrocarbons as a decarbonization option to contribute as a step towards hydrogen economy. It presents the Carbon Black and Hydrogen Process (CB&H Process) as an alternative option for hydrogen generation at large scale facility, suitable for supplying large amounts of high-purity carbon in elemental form. CB&H Process refers to a plant with hydrogen thermal plasma reactor able to decompose Hydrocarbons (HC's) into Hydrogen (H2) and Carbon Black (CB), a cleaner technology than its competing processes, capable of generating two products with high added value. Considering the Brazilian context in which more than 80% of the generated electricity comes from renewable sources, the use of electricity as one of the inputs in the process does not compromise the objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is important to consider that the use of renewable energy to produce two products derived from fossil fuels in a clean way represents integration of technologies into a more efficient system and an arrangement that contributes to the transition from fossil fuels to renewables.The economic viability of the CB&H process as a hydrogen generation unit (centralized) for refining applications also depends on the cost of hydrogen production by competing processes. Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) is a widespread method that produces twice the amount of hydrogen generated by natural gas plasma pyrolysis, but it emits CO2 gas and consumes water, while CB&H process produces solid carbon. For this reason, the paper seeks the carbon production cost by plasma pyrolysis as a breakeven point for large-scale hydrogen generation without water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.     

The competitiveness of Korea as a developer of hydrogen energy technology: The AHP approach

Korea's need for energy conservation and alternative energy is greater than for any other nation. Korea imports more than 97% of its total energy consumption and ranks 10th in the world in terms of energy consumption. Developing hydrogen energy technology has great potential to cope with Korea's energy security and to establish Korea's hydrogen economy. In this study, we analysed the potential of Korea to be competitive in development of hydrogen energy technology using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. In this paper, two scenario analyses are presented: in the first, the R&D budget is a criterion and in the second it is not. The results show that Korea is the sixth most competitive nation because of the low score for infrastructure required for hydrogen technology. In addition, compared with US results for both scenarios, patents, papers and proceedings, R&D budgets, and infrastructure for hydrogen technology are inferior to the US, which is ranked in first place for this sector. Korean policymakers have to concentrate on those sectors to strengthen Korea's competitiveness in the development of hydrogen energy technology.     

WE-NET: Japanese hydrogen program

The Agency of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), started the New Sunshine Program in 1993 by unifying the Sunshine Program (R and D on new energy technology), the Moonlight Program (R and D on energy conservation technology), and the Research and Development Program for Environmental Technology. The objective of the new program is to develop innovative technologies to allow sustainable growth while solving energy and environmental issues. One of new projects in this program is the “International Clean Energy System Technology Utilizing Hydrogen (World Energy Network)”: WE-NET.The goal of WE-NET is to construct a worldwide energy network for effective supply, transportation and utilization of renewable energy using hydrogen. The WE-NET program extends over 28 years from 1993 to 2020. In Phase 1, we started core research in areas such as development of high efficiency technologies including hydrogen production using polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis, hydrogen combustion turbines, etc.     

A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process approach for assessing national competitiveness in the hydrogen technology sector

As it is more environmentally sound and friendly than conventional energy technologies that emit carbon dioxide, hydrogen technology can play a key role in solving the problems caused by the greenhouse gas effect and in coping with the hydrogen economy. Numerous countries around the world, including Korea, have increasingly focused on R&D where hydrogen technology development is concerned. This paper focuses on the use of the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP), which is an extension of the AHP method and uses interval values to reflect the vagueness of human thought, to assess national competitiveness in the hydrogen technology sector. This analysis based on the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods revealed that Korea ranked 6th in terms of national competitiveness in the hydrogen technology sector.     

The evolution of hydrogen research: Is Germany heading for an early lock-in?

In this article we analyse and evaluate the German Research and Development (R&D) system related to the development of hydrogen technology for mobile applications. We analysed both research projects and patents in the period 1974–2002. The paper focuses on an analysis of the main technological trends, the role of governments in steering the transition and an evaluation of the speed and direction of the transition to hydrogen. Our findings show that the attention for hydrogen is strongly increasing and that overall the variety in research projects is increasing. This is positive. However, some technologies receive more attention than others. The number of projects and patents related to infrastructure and refuelling is very low while on board production of hydrogen is a clear winner. In terms of storage, liquid hydrogen receives most attention. We are concerned about these directions in R&D strategy since different well to wheel studies have shown the drawbacks of these options in terms of energy efficiency. Different governments play an active role in stimulating research and development, which broadens the variety of research topics, which is positive. However, the distance between government and industrial interests may be too large to lead to a significant influence of policy efforts. We therefore recommend stronger policy coordination to counteract the risks of premature lock-in in suboptimal hydrogen technologies.     

Fuelling the hydrogen economy: Scale-up of an integrated formic acid-to-power system

Transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable and green energy sources in mobile applications is a difficult challenge and demands sustained and highly multidisciplinary efforts in R&D. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) offer several advantages over more conventional energy storage solutions, but have not been yet demonstrated at scale. Herein we describe the development of an integrated and compact 25 kW formic acid-to-power system by a team of BSc and MSc students. We highlight a number of key engineering challenges encountered during scale-up of the technology and discuss several aspects commonly overlooked by academic researchers. Conclusively, we provide a critical outlook and suggest a number of developmental areas currently inhibiting further implementation of the technology.     

A model-based assessment of the impact of revitalised R&D investments on the European power sector

This paper presents an analysis of the effect of enhanced research and development (R&D) efforts for a set of low-carbon power technologies on the development of the European energy sector. It applies a methodology using the concept of Two-Factor-Learning, which quantitatively links trends in technology cost to both accumulated R&D investments and production volumes. The impacts of the latter on the energy sector are then simulated in a consistent manner with the POLES global energy model. On this basis, it compares the total system costs of an assumed increase in worldwide R&D investments that for the EU are in line with proposals made in its European Strategic Energy Technology Plan to a baseline development. It finds that an increase in research efforts at a global level will contribute to reducing the costs of currently less mature low-carbon technologies, thus accelerating their market entry. When comparing two scenarios that both fulfil the EU's 2020 energy and climate objectives and differing only in their R&D investment levels, the reduced technology costs allow EU support policies for renewables and carbon values to be reduced, and the cumulative (discounted) benefit of the accelerated research efforts is positive in the long term.     

The case for a new energy research,development and promotion policy for the UK

This paper is a critical assessment of the current balance of efforts towards energy research and development (R&D) and the promotion of low-carbon electricity technologies in the UK. We review the UK's main technological options and their estimated cost ranges in the medium term. We contrast the energy R&D spending with the current and expected future cost of renewable promotion policies and point out the high cost of carbon saving through existing renewable promotion arrangements. We also note that liberalisation of the electricity sector has had significant implications for the landscape of energy R&D in the UK. We argue that there is a need for reappraisal of the soundness and balance of the energy R&D and renewable capacity deployment efforts towards new energy technologies. We suggest that the cost-effectiveness of UK deployment policies needs to be more closely analysed as associated costs are non-trivial and expected to rise. We also make a case for considering increasing the current low level of energy R&D expenditure. Much of energy R&D is a public good and we should consider whether the current organisation of R&D effort is fit for purpose. We argue that it is important to build and maintain the research capability in the UK in order to absorb spillovers of technological progress elsewhere in the world. Against this background, the recent signs that an energy R&D renaissance could be underway are therefore positive and welcome.     

Design layout of hydrogen research and development garage

Research and development programs toward fuel cells and other hydrogen technologies have increased significantly during the past two decades. These programs require appropriate facilities to undertake the research and development programs. This paper discusses the design layout of one such facility, the “Missouri S&T EcoCAR Hydrogen Vehicle Garage”, which can be used as a model while designing a hydrogen R&D garage. The Missouri S&T EcoCAR garage is a 12.2 m × 7.6 m garage situated at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and serves as the headquarters for the Missouri S&T EcoCAR team. Within the garage, students will gain real-world, hands-on experience by transforming a standard production vehicle into a hydrogen Fuel Cell Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (FC-PHEV). The garage is classified as a Class 1 Division 2, Group B hazardous location and is equipped to safely test and integrate the vehicle prototype. Specifically, the design includes (i) a hydrogen gas detection system, (ii) hazardous location electrical service, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, lighting, and compressed air systems, and (iii) emergency backup electric power system with alarms/monitors/security cameras for the hydrogen R&D facility. The garage will be connected to an external backup power supply unit which will be powered by a PEM fuel cell.     

Reprint of: Solar hydrogen production and its development in China

Because of the needs of sustainable development of the mankind society and natural environment building a renewable energy system is one of the most critical issues that today's society must address. In the new energy system there is a requirement for a renewable fuel to replace current energy carrier. Hydrogen is an ideal secondary energy. Using solar energy to produce hydrogen in large scale can solve the problems of sustainability, environmental emissions, and energy security and become the focus of the international society in the area of energy science and technology. It has also been set as an important research direction by many international hydrogen programs. The Ministry of Science and Technology of China supported and launched a project of National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) – the Basic Research of Mass Hydrogen Production using Solar Energy in 2003 for R&D in the areas of solar hydrogen production. The current status of solar hydrogen production research is reviewed and some significant results achieved in the project are reported in this paper. The trends of development and the future research directions in the field of solar hydrogen production in China are also briefly discussed.