The top 3 energy sources overall were Hydroelectricity (52.63% of total capacity), Conventional Thermal (47.37%) and Wind (0%).
52.63% of the installed capacity base comprised of renewable energy sources, the largest being Hydroelectricity at 5,000 megawatts.
In 2008, Korea, North produced 0.91 quadrillion BTUs (QBTUs) of primary energy, an increase of 0.05 QBTUs over the prior year and a compound growth rate of 0.68% over a 5 year period.
Primary energy consumption meanwhile increased by 10.11% over the prior year to 0.88 QBTUs, equating to 36.68 million BTUs per capita which places Korea, North into the 60th percentile of countries worldwide for per capita primary energy consumption.
Korea, North’s total electricity capacity has increased on an annual compound basis by 0% over the last 20 years to 9,500 megawatts (MW) in 2008. In the last year, the total installed capacity base increased by 0 megawatts (+0%) with the largest source of new capacity being Wind (+0 megawatts).
Total renewable energy capacity accounts for 52.63% of this total installed capacity base whilst renewable energy sources excluding hydropower account for 0%.
Total capacity did not increase in the last year whilst Wind Energy added the most capacity in the last 5 years, reaching 0 MW in 2008.
Total electricity generation meanwhile climbed 7.76% over the last year to 22.52 billion kilowatthours (bn kWh) in 2008 with the largest source for electricity generation being Hydroelectricity (61.85% of total net generation).
Conventional sources including conventional thermal (coal, petroleum, gas), nuclear power and hydro pumped storage accounted for 38.15% of total electricity generated, down from 41.85% 5 years previously.
In 2009, Korea, North had a zero balance net import requirement. There were no exports of electricity. Conventional Energy sources represented 47.37% of total installed capacity in Korea, North in 2008, a decrease of 0 percentage points over a 5 year period.
Conventional thermal energy had an installed capacity base of 4,500 MW in 2008, a change of 0 MW over the previous year and a 0% change on a compound basis over a 5 year period. Conventional thermal energy has seen its share of total installed capacity decrease from 47.37% in 2004 to 47.37% in 2008. Conventional Thermal Energy generated 8.59 billion kilowatthours of electricity in 2008, equating to 1.91 billion kilowatthours of electricity per million kilowatts of capacity.
Hydroelectricity had an installed capacity base of 5,000 MW in 2008, a change of 0 MW over the previous year. It’s share of total installed capacity decreased from 52.63% in 2004 to 52.63% in 2008 and it’s share of renewable installed capacity decreased from 100% in 2004 to 100% in 2008.
Hydroelectricity generated 13.93 billion kilowatthours of electricity in 2008, equating to 61.85% of the total electricity generated. This is equivalent to 2.79 billion kilowatthours of electricity per million kilowatts of capacity, which was the highest ratio amongst renewable energy sources.
Korea, North has 1.84% of the total regional capacity for Hydroelectricity and ranks at #28 in the world for Hydroelectricity installed capacity.
Korea, North ranks at #81 in the world for Wind Energy installed capacity.
In 2008, total carbon dioxide emissions in Korea, North reached 69.58 million Metric Tonnes (mn MT), a compound decrease of -0.76% over a 5 year period. Korea, North’s total represented 0.59% of total regional emissions and 0.23% of total world emissions.
On a per capita basis meanwhile, Korea, North ranked at #109 worldwide, with per capita emissions increasing on 2007 by 0.28 metric tonnes to 3.08 metric tonnes.
