| Title |
Base Load Characteristics of Power Consumption at a Large-Scale Airport Before, During, and After COVID-19: A Case Study of Incheon International Airport |
| Authors |
김권철(Kwonchul Kim) ; 김인수(Insu Kim) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5370/KIEE.2026.75.7.1451 |
| Keywords |
Incheon International Airport; Electricity demand; Base load; Large electricity consumer; Renewable energy integration; Demand inflexibility; Energy management; COVID-19 impact |
| Abstract |
This study analyzes the structural characteristics of electricity demand at Incheon International Airport using long-term measured data from 2019 to 2024. The airport is pursuing a large-scale photovoltaic (PV) expansion plan to achieve RE100 by 2040, yet existing planning approaches are primarily based on peak demand and normal operating conditions. To address this limitation, this study focuses on quantifying the base load under both normal and abnormal conditions, including the COVID-19 period, which provides a natural experiment of extreme demand reduction. Base load is defined using the lower 10th percentile of seasonal daily electricity consumption to represent the minimum operational demand. The results show that electricity consumption did not decrease below a certain threshold even under extreme passenger decline, confirming the existence of a structurally sustained base load. Furthermore, a minimum base load level is observed even during abnormal conditions, indicating that conventional planning criteria may underestimate the lower bound of demand. These findings suggest that PV capacity planning should consider not only peak demand but also minimum load conditions to prevent reverse power flow. The identified base load characteristics can also be used to more accurately determine the required capacity of energy storage systems and the control range of energy management systems. This study provides practical insights for improving the reliability and robustness of renewable energy integration strategies in large-scale infrastructure systems. |