Despite commanding one of the world's most advanced economies, South Korea's energy landscape remains overwhelmingly dominated by fossil fuels, with coal, gas, and oil accounting for a staggering 88.3% of its total energy supply in 2022 while renewables contributed just 5.6%, a reliance underscored by a sobering 9.8% energy self-sufficiency ratio that frames the nation's urgent and complex journey toward a secure, low-carbon future.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, South Korea's total primary energy supply reached 288.5 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe), marking a 1.2% increase from 2021.
- Coal accounted for 37.8% of South Korea's primary energy supply in 2022, totaling 109.1 Mtoe.
- Natural gas contributed 26.4% to primary energy supply in 2022, equivalent to 76.2 Mtoe.
- South Korea's industry sector consumed 48.2% of total final energy in 2022, totaling 69.3 Mtoe.
- Transport sector final energy consumption was 28.6% or 41.1 Mtoe in 2022.
- Residential sector used 12.4% of final energy, 17.8 Mtoe in 2022.
- South Korea's total installed power generation capacity was 148.3 GW at end-2022.
- Coal-fired capacity stood at 39.5 GW, 26.6% of total in 2022.
- Gas-fired capacity was 44.2 GW, 29.8% of total capacity 2022.
- In 2022, South Korea added 20.6 GW of solar PV capacity cumulatively reaching leading position.
- Wind power capacity reached 2.32 GW total by end-2022, with 1.81 GW onshore.
- Offshore wind projects under development total 12 GW as of 2022.
- Energy intensity improved by 2.1% to 0.243 toe/$1000 GDP in 2022.
- CO2 emissions from energy totaled 618 Mt in 2022, up 1.8%.
- Emission intensity of electricity was 512 gCO2/kWh in 2022.
South Korea's energy supply remains dominated by fossil fuels despite slight renewable growth.
Energy Consumption by Sector
- South Korea's industry sector consumed 48.2% of total final energy in 2022, totaling 69.3 Mtoe.
- Transport sector final energy consumption was 28.6% or 41.1 Mtoe in 2022.
- Residential sector used 12.4% of final energy, 17.8 Mtoe in 2022.
- Commercial and public services consumed 10.8% or 15.5 Mtoe in 2022.
- Industry's oil consumption was 12.7 Mtoe in 2022.
- Electricity consumption in industry reached 240.5 TWh in 2022.
- Transport oil use was 38.9 Mtoe, 95% of sector's energy in 2022.
- Residential electricity demand was 78.2 TWh in 2022.
- Commercial sector gas consumption was 9.1 Mtoe in 2022.
- Steel industry's energy use was 32.4 Mtoe, 29% of industrial total in 2022.
- Chemical sector consumed 18.6 Mtoe in industry, 2022.
- Transport final energy intensity improved 1.5% in 2022.
- Household energy per capita was 1.32 toe in 2022.
- Non-energy industrial use was 22.7 Mtoe in 2022.
- Electricity share in industry rose to 32.4% of sector energy in 2022.
- Transport biofuels consumption was 1.2 Mtoe in 2022.
- Commercial electricity use grew 3.2% to 92.1 TWh in 2022.
- Semiconductor industry's power demand surged 15% to 25 TWh in 2022.
- Residential gas use was 12.4 Mtoe, 70% of sector energy in 2022.
- Cement production energy intensity was 3.8 GJ/tonne in 2022.
- Petroleum refining sector used 15.2 Mtoe in 2022.
- EV charging consumed 2.1 TWh in transport sector 2022.
- Agriculture sector final energy was 2.3 Mtoe in 2022.
- Data centers power use hit 4.5 TWh in commercial sector 2022.
Energy Consumption by Sector Interpretation
South Korea's economy runs on a potent industrial espresso shot and a long transport sector commute, with the residential sector sipping a smaller latte and the commercial sector adding a dash of data center sugar, all while the specter of the steel and chemical giants looms large over the energy bill.
Policy Efficiency Emissions
- Energy intensity improved by 2.1% to 0.243 toe/$1000 GDP in 2022.
- CO2 emissions from energy totaled 618 Mt in 2022, up 1.8%.
- Emission intensity of electricity was 512 gCO2/kWh in 2022.
- ETS covered 70% of emissions, trading 38 MtCO2e at 25,000 KRW/ton average 2022.
- Coal phase-out plan retires 34 GW by 2050, 4 GW by 2034.
- Energy efficiency investments 5.2 trillion KRW under Green New Deal 2022.
- Building energy codes saved 8.5 TWh electricity in 2022.
- Industrial energy management systems covered 65% of large factories 2022.
- Top-runner program upgraded appliances, saving 15% energy in white goods 2022.
- CHP capacity 12.5 GW, efficiency 85%, avoiding 12 MtCO2 in 2022.
- LED lighting penetration 92% in public buildings, saving 4 TWh 2022.
- Fuel efficiency standard for cars 13.4 km/L average fleet 2022.
- EV subsidies supported 120,000 units, reducing 0.5 MtCO2 2022.
- Carbon tax equivalent via ETS priced at $20/ton 2022.
- Renewables support via RECs avoided 25 MtCO2 in 2022.
- Nuclear life extension added 5 GW capacity, saving 10 MtCO2 2022.
- Energy audits for SMEs covered 12,000 firms, saving 2.1 Mtoe 2022.
- District heating efficiency 90%, covering 80% urban heat 2022.
- Steel sector CCUS pilot captured 1 MtCO2 cumulatively by 2022.
- Aviation biofuel mandate starts 1% blend 2023, planned 0.5% 2022 trial.
- GHG reduction target NDC 40% by 2030 from 2018, on track 15% by 2022.
- Power sector emissions 420 MtCO2, 68% of total energy emissions 2022.
- Industry emissions 150 MtCO2, down 2% via efficiency 2022.
- Transport emissions 98 MtCO2, up 3% from rebound 2022.
Policy Efficiency Emissions Interpretation
Despite making genuine strides in efficiency and green investment, Korea's carbon diet is being sabotaged by its stubborn power sector and post-pandemic travel, revealing a nation energetically sprinting toward a cleaner future with one foot still stuck in the coal pile.
Power Generation Capacity
- South Korea's total installed power generation capacity was 148.3 GW at end-2022.
- Coal-fired capacity stood at 39.5 GW, 26.6% of total in 2022.
- Gas-fired capacity was 44.2 GW, 29.8% of total capacity 2022.
- Nuclear capacity was 25.7 GW from 24 reactors operational in 2022.
- Renewable capacity reached 28.4 GW, 19.2% of total in 2022.
- Solar PV capacity installed was 22.3 GW at end-2022.
- Wind capacity totaled 2.1 GW onshore and 0.1 GW offshore in 2022.
- Hydro capacity was 3.9 GW in 2022.
- Pumped storage hydro added 7.0 GW to capacity in 2022.
- Biomass capacity was 0.6 GW in 2022.
- Coal generation produced 298.5 TWh, 36.2% of total electricity in 2022.
- Gas generation was 248.2 TWh, 30.1% share in 2022.
- Nuclear generated 187.4 TWh, 22.7% of total in 2022.
- Renewables generated 61.2 TWh, 7.4% of electricity in 2022.
- Total electricity generation was 823.1 TWh in 2022.
- Peak demand reached 102.5 GW in August 2022.
- Oil-fired capacity was 5.6 GW, mostly peaking plants in 2022.
- Solar generation was 38.5 TWh in 2022, up 53% from 2021.
- Wind generation totaled 5.2 TWh in 2022.
- Hydro output was 17.8 TWh, down due to dry weather in 2022.
- Capacity factor for coal plants averaged 62.3% in 2022.
- Nuclear capacity factor was 78.5% in 2022.
- Gas combined cycle plants had 45.2% capacity factor 2022.
- Solar capacity factor was 15.8% in 2022.
- Offshore wind capacity under construction: 1.2 GW as of 2022.
- Total grid transmission lines length: 35,000 km at 765kV and above in 2022.
- Battery storage capacity reached 4.5 GW in 2022.
- Solar capacity grew by 8.7 GW added in 2022.
- Wind capacity addition was 0.4 GW in 2022.
- Retired coal capacity: 0.8 GW in 2022.
- South Korea's renewable capacity target for 2030 is 72.7 GW.
- Solar capacity was 24.4 GW installed by mid-2023, but 22.3 GW end-2022.
Power Generation Capacity Interpretation
While South Korea's power grid appears to be having a classic identity crisis—with its reliable but dirty coal and ambitious nuclear flirting at a party while solar desperately tries to get its foot in the door—the sobering reality is that actual electricity generation reveals a grid still overwhelmingly in a long-term, codependent relationship with fossil fuels.
Primary Energy Supply
- In 2022, South Korea's total primary energy supply reached 288.5 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe), marking a 1.2% increase from 2021.
- Coal accounted for 37.8% of South Korea's primary energy supply in 2022, totaling 109.1 Mtoe.
- Natural gas contributed 26.4% to primary energy supply in 2022, equivalent to 76.2 Mtoe.
- Oil made up 24.1% of primary energy supply at 69.5 Mtoe in 2022.
- Renewables provided 5.6% or 16.1 Mtoe to primary energy supply in 2022.
- Nuclear energy supplied 11.7% or 33.7 Mtoe in South Korea's primary energy mix in 2022.
- Hydroelectricity contributed 1.2% to primary energy supply, or 3.5 Mtoe in 2022.
- Solar PV added 0.9% or 2.6 Mtoe to primary energy in 2022.
- Wind energy's share was 0.4% at 1.2 Mtoe in primary energy supply 2022.
- Bioenergy accounted for 1.1% or 3.2 Mtoe in 2022 primary energy supply.
- In 2021, total primary energy supply was 285.2 Mtoe, down 0.5% from 2020.
- Coal imports totaled 124.5 million tons in 2022, valued at $28.6 billion.
- LNG imports reached 48.8 million tons in 2022, a 4.1% increase.
- Crude oil imports were 817.3 million barrels in 2022.
- South Korea's energy self-sufficiency ratio was 9.8% in 2022.
- Total energy production was 28.3 Mtoe in 2022, mostly from nuclear and renewables.
- Final energy consumption grew to 143.7 Mtoe in 2022, up 2.3%.
- Industry sector's primary energy demand was 112.4 Mtoe in 2022.
- Transport sector used 52.1 Mtoe of primary energy in 2022.
- Residential sector primary energy was 32.8 Mtoe in 2022.
- Commercial sector consumed 21.6 Mtoe in primary energy terms 2022.
- Primary energy intensity was 0.25 toe per $1000 GDP in 2022 (2015 prices).
- Coal's share in primary supply dropped from 41.2% in 2020 to 37.8% in 2022.
- Gas share rose from 24.8% in 2020 to 26.4% in 2022.
- Oil share declined to 24.1% in 2022 from 25.3% in 2021.
- Renewables share increased to 5.6% in 2022 from 4.8% in 2021.
- Nuclear share fell to 11.7% in 2022 due to reactor maintenance.
- Total primary supply per capita was 5.58 toe in 2022.
- Energy supply growth averaged 1.1% annually from 2018-2022.
- Non-energy use of oil was 18.4 Mtoe in 2022.
Primary Energy Supply Interpretation
South Korea's energy mix in 2022 shows it's still flirting heavily with fossil fuels at a 90% dependency rate, with its renewable side-hustle growing admirably but still just whispering sweet nothings of a cleaner future.
Renewable Energy Development
- In 2022, South Korea added 20.6 GW of solar PV capacity cumulatively reaching leading position.
- Wind power capacity reached 2.32 GW total by end-2022, with 1.81 GW onshore.
- Offshore wind projects under development total 12 GW as of 2022.
- Bioenergy capacity installed 0.65 GW in 2022, generating 4.8 TWh.
- Hydrogen production capacity planned to reach 1.1 million tons by 2030, pilot in 2022 at 50,000 tons.
- Green hydrogen imports targeted, first 100,000 tons deal in 2022.
- Energy storage systems (ESS) for renewables hit 4.8 GW/28 GWh by end-2022.
- Floating solar PV capacity added 0.2 GW in 2022.
- Geothermal heat pump installations covered 15 million m² in 2022.
- Waste-to-energy plants processed 22 million tons waste, generating 6 TWh in 2022.
- Solar PV module manufacturing capacity 25 GW annually in South Korea 2022.
- Renewable portfolio standard (RPS) met 10.2% obligation with 68 TWh in 2022.
- Feed-in tariff for solar averaged 85 KRW/kWh in 2022.
- Corporate PPA for renewables signed 5 GW deals in 2022.
- Agrivoltaics projects covered 1,200 ha with 1 GW solar in 2022.
- Offshore wind auction awarded 3.5 GW at average 119 KRW/kWh in 2022.
- EV battery production for V2G integration 50 GWh capacity in 2022.
- Renewable certificates (RECs) traded 45 million units worth 2.5 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Community solar projects numbered 1,500 with 0.8 GW in 2022.
- Wind turbine manufacturing local content 55% for domestic projects 2022.
- Biofuel blending mandate E2 for gasoline, consuming 0.8 million tons ethanol 2022.
- Green bonds for renewables issued 15 trillion KRW in 2022.
- Smart grid projects integrated 2 million smart meters for renewables in 2022.
- Carbon capture on biomass pilot captured 10,000 tons CO2 in 2022.
- South Korea's 10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand targets 20% renewables by 2030.
Renewable Energy Development Interpretation
South Korea's energy transition reads like a relentless to-do list, where solar panels have sprinted ahead to grab the gold medal, offshore wind is waiting backstage for its colossal debut, and hydrogen is still nervously rehearsing its opening lines in the wings.
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