농업부문 에너지 수급전망과 청정에너지 농업시스템 구축(1/2차연도)

Abstract

최근 정부는 국가 에너지 비중을 석유류를 포함한 화석연료에서 청정에너지를 포함한 친환경에너지 분야로 전환하는 것을 골자로 한 ‘국가 에너지 기본계획’을 수립해 추진 중이다. 이는 농업분야까지를 총망라하는 것으로 농업분야에서도 청정에너지의 활용을 적극 추진해야 함을 의미한다. 농업부문의 에너지 사용량은 매년 증가하고 있고, 유가가 상승함에 따라 농업의 경쟁력은 악화되고 있다. 따라서 에너지 문제와 환경문제를 해결하기 위해 청정에너지의 개발과 활용이 적극 모색되어야 할 시점이다. 청정에너지는 환경을 오염시키지 않은 깨끗한 에너지로 자연친화적이고 재생가능하다. 또한 고갈의 위협에 직면해 있는 화석에너지를 대체할 수 있다는 점에서 주목받고 있다. 청정에너지가 확대 보급될 경우 고유가에 의한 경영비 압박을 해소하고, 자원을 재활용할 수 있다는 측면에서 높은 관심을 갖게 된다.

이 연구는 화석에너지 의존적인 현재의 영농시스템을 보완할 수 있는 청정에너지 농업시스템에 대한 방향과 전략을 강구하기 위해 2010년부터 2011년까지 수행할 계획이다. 1년차에는 국내 농업부문의 에너지 수급문제를 조망해 보고 영농활동에서의 에너지 이용과 청정에너지 이용실태 분석을 등을 통해 문제점을 발굴하고 개선과제를 도출하였다. 또한 청정에너지 이용 선진국들의 정책 등을 소개하였다. 2년차에는 주요국의 청정에너지 농업시스템에 대한 사례와 우리 여건에서의 청정에너지 농업시스템 및 시스템 구축을 위한 방향과 전략을 제시할 예정이다.

Energy consumption in the agriculture sector increases annually and, depending on increasing oil price, the competitiveness of agriculture is threatened. Accordingly, it is time to positively search for the development and utilization of clean energy to solve energy and environmental problems. The agriculture sector continues to use 1.8% of national energy consumption, but the cost of energy in agricultural production is very high. In particular, energy inputs such as expansion of horticulture facilities and mechanization processes are increasing, raising the necessity of and policy interest in the efficient management of energy in the agriculture sector. In the agricultural sector, regarding consumption by energy sources, oil occupies 73%, electricity 19%, and natural gas 0.3%; however, the consumption of new renewal energy in the agriculture sector is almost nothing, and the distribution of new renewal energy is still at an insufficient level. To prepare an efficient management plan for agricultural energy, an input-output analysis was conducted to understand the energy input structure of the agricultural sector. It was found that energy consumption has largely increased in the farming sector. The farming sector comprises mainly vegetables and flowering plants, with annual consumption of vegetables increasing by 9% and that of flowering plants more than 11%. Among all currently usable energy sources, farmers prefer mainly oil and electricity, and preference for new renewable energy sources such as terrestrial heat, solar heat, and wind was low. The facilities with big energy reduction that will be preferred by greenhouse growers in the future are multilayered heat-keeping curtains and vertical heat terrestrial heat pumps. Every farmer wants to upgrade to a highly efficiency facility, but the problem is cost. At present, the major applicable energy sources in the agriculture sector among new renewable energy sources are terrestrial heat and biomass energy. Heat pump systems and wood-pellet stoves also use terrestrial heat. Use of new renewable energy sources for heating has direct effects such as reduction of fuel expenses and increased productivity and indirect effects such as reduction of CO2 discharge. To achieve wide application of clean energy sources such as terrestrial energy or wood-pellet biomass in the agriculture sector, the basis expansion of these energies should first be implemented. In particular, support for facility installation of the new renewable energy source should be planned, and an incentive system to encourage its use should be introduced. In addition, consistent technology development and collaboration with professional construction companies so as to reduce supply prices of clean energy facilities applicable to the agriculture sector are required. As a countermeasure to global warming, advanced countries such as the United States, Japan, and Europe put their efforts into reducing fossil fuel consumption and raising energy efficiency as well as into distribution of clean energy. With a national goal of reducing greenhouse gases in the U.S., the Waxman-Markey bill established a goal of curtailing them 17% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 compared with the 2005 level. In the case of Japan, the Basic Bill for Global Warming Prevention was passed in March 2010, and greenhouse gases are planned to be reduced 25% by 2020 compared with 1990. Europe is in the process of implementing the plan outlined in “Renewable Energy Target for Europe 2020” to increase consumption of renewable energy by 2020 while simultaneously reducing 20% of greenhouse gas generation. Based on these policies, American agriculture is trying to distribute clean energy by using wind force, solar energy, and bio-ethanol production. Japan is planning to maintain biomass towns in 300 regions by 2010. Europe is putting its efforts into producing bioenergy such as wood pellets supplied from forests and biogas using livestock manure. The use of clean energy by these advanced countries is expected to bring about not only a reduction in greenhouse gases but also increased employment opportunities in agricultural regions and reduced energy costs, energy independence, security reinforcement, and consumer protection. As reviewed in the cases of advanced countries, our country should also encourage the use of renewable energy and raise energy efficiency in preparation for a plan to reduce the consumption of fossil energy; for this, the development and infrastructure implementation of clean energy usable in our country and overseas countries should be sponsored and supported at the level of the nation.

Researchers: Yean-Jung Kim, Ki-Hwan Park, Chang-Yong Kang, Yun-Hyung Kim, Eun-Mee Jeong, Woong-Yeon Lee, Hyun-Tae Park, Min-Ji Park E-mail address: yjkim@krei.re.kr