Energy Climate Policy Think Tank

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NEXT group is an independent energy and climate policy think tank contributing to Asia's

net-zero energy transition.

Latest Publications

2026-05-15

Is K-GX Legislation Ready?

As South Korea advances its K-GX (Korea Green Transformation) strategy to accelerate industrial decarbonization, related legislation is emerging as a key policy issue. This report examines the “Carbon Neutral Industry Act,” often referred to as the legal foundation of K-GX, and analyzes its institutional limitations and legislative challenges. Drawing lessons from the “Special Act on Materials, Parts and Equipment,” the report reviews issues including overlaps with the “Green Transition Act,” the need for linked tax legislation, and the effectiveness of the Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) scheme. It also proposes policy and legislative recommendations for strengthening Korea’s industrial decarbonization framework.

[Column] Why Is South Korea Losing the Energy War?

This column examines South Korea’s structural dependence on imported fossil fuels and argues for a broader understanding of energy security beyond resource procurement.

Electrification Pathways for Yeosu Petrochemical Complex: Strategies for a Clean Industrial Transition

Korea’s petrochemical industry is undergoing structural transformation driven by global oversupply, and the Yeosu Petrochemical Complex faces serious threats to its competitiveness and viability. This issue brief proposes electrification pathways utilizing distributed energy special zones and virtual power plants, focusing on electric furnaces and industrial high-temperature heat pumps as core technologies for replacing fossil fuel combustion with renewable electricity. It examines renewable energy supply conditions, power procurement structures, and institutional and infrastructure prerequisites required to accelerate the transition toward a clean chemical industrial complex.

Energy Policy Simulator(EPS)

The Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) is a comprehensive analytical model designed to evaluate the impacts of energy policies across all sectors of the economy, including industry, power generation, and transportation. By integrating a wide array of policy levers—such as carbon pricing and renewable energy subsidies—users can construct customized scenarios to quantitatively assess greenhouse gas reductions, energy demand, and macroeconomic ripple effects, including GDP fluctuations and public health benefits derived from improved air quality. The EPS serves as a critical strategic compass for policymakers, providing a scientific foundation to identify the most cost-effective and beneficial climate action strategies while facilitating the design of optimal policy roadmaps that harmonize economic growth with environmental sustainability. The South Korea EPS is a free, open-source model built by NEXT group to reflect South Korea's energy and policy context, based on the EPS framework originally developed by Energy Innovation LLC in the United States.

저자: 김주혜, 송용현, 이민희, 이지우, 김수강, 김효진

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