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Monday, 20 February 12
COAL BOOM AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN - SUNIL K KUMBHAT
 COALspot.com - The dawn of the 21st century has seen a shift in the world's commercial balance of power, with the dominance of the US, Europe and Japan challenged by the rapid industrialisation of hungry new economies. The rise of the so-called BRIIC nations - Brazil, Russia, India ,Indonesia and China - is giving birth to new global financial centres, vibrant industrial markets and above all surging demand for raw materials to supply new projects.
But where does environmental responsibility fit into this drive for resources?
Growing demand for thermal Coal has created a new coal boom, which is great news for Coal producing countries such as Indonesia, Australia , south Africa . The demand of coal is growing at a massive rate in Asia particularly India and China. Both the coal hungry countries are making efforts to secure supplies by acquiring Coal mines or forming Joint ventures for their new power generating plants.
The demand is fuelling the world prices of coal, although prices are still not as high as witnessed in 2008 when everything peaked before the global financial crisis but there all indications that by 2012/2013 coal prises will reach to record high.
The India and China are becoming the mainstay of the market . Both the countries are having huge Coal reserves ,but still they are importing huge qty of coal to meet there increased demand and as such they are effectively driving the world Coal market and its prices. India’s demand for coal is expected to grow at a faster rate than any other country in the world.
India's rich untapped mineral resources of more than 20 mineral types - including gold, copper, coal and bauxite but the fact that many of these resources are located in rural, heavily forested areas with predominantly tribal populations has raised concerns over the environmental impact of mining operations.
The country has a long history of environmental damage caused by both domestic and international mining companies, as well as the ecological problems from hundreds of abandoned mines in areas like Bihar's Jharia and Rhaniganj coal fields. Like China, India has been plagued by the environmental problems associated with illegal and unlicensed mining operations, which the country's Directorate General of Mines Safety has been ill-equipped to deal with due to funding deficiencies.
Similarly China has come under fire from human rights activists and environmental groups alike for its arguably lax approach to both worker safety (the country has become the mining disaster capital of the world in recent years) and environmental accountability. The Chinese Government's approach to corporate and environmental responsibility has been characterised by outside observers as simply paying lip service to the environment - hinting that ISO guidelines for mining would be welcomed - without implementing practical measures to promote change.
The environmental impact of mining operations in Brazil is also under sharper scrutiny than many other countries, primarily because its borders contain the lion's share of the Amazon rainforest, a haven for biodiversity and one of the most important eco-systems in the world.
As such, environmental awareness is particularly strong in the Brazilian mining industry. Experts from the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards are playing a leadership role in the further development of the recently introduced ISO 26000 international standard on social responsibility. Furthermore, licensing for new mining projects is often legally conditional on the drafting of comprehensive environmental impact studies, reports and extensive public consultations, particularly in areas inhabited by tribal groups.
Although carrying out mining operations in a region like the Amazon will be controversial, the environmental commitment seen here and echoed by many other Brazilian mining companies (including industry giant Vale, which has a complex environmental quality management system based on ISO 14001 standards) provides a useful model of awareness for other BRIC nations, and the global mining industry in general, to follow.
India is emerging as a fast economy, targeting 9-10% annual growth. Realizing the underlying growth potential will largely depend on it's ability to meet energy requirements. Energy sector whose growth targets inter alia depend on coal. At a 9% growth rate, the capacity requirement will be 960Gw and energy requirement will be 4,806 billion kWh. In the light of these projections, coal demand is estimated to rise many fold. Main concentration of Indian companies remains in Indonesia as many new mines are opened for exploration , exploitation and production .Today Indonesia is one of the most rapidly developing coal producing country in the world.
For a strong economy, one needs strong infrastructure and power plants. For strong infrastructure and power plants , one needs steel. Steel is the backbone of an economy, and it is metallurgical coal and thermal coal that is used to produce steel and electricity.
An increase in Coal production is the opposite of what the global climate change forums have wanted to see because coal without any doubt is one of the dirtiest and filthiest fossil fuel in terms of CO2 and when it comes to harmful emissions that most environmentalists and energy economists agree causes global warming.
Coal consumption is going in a direction that policy makers would prefer it not to go.
Critical question is whether there is a willingness amongst coal producers and power generating plants to make their technology cleaner, so it emits less greenhouse gases(GHG) which leads to global warming .Energy scientists have long been voicing concern on the rise in the level of Greenhouse gases, which leads to Global warming and climatic changes that are detrimental to economies worldwide.
The disastrous consequences for global climate change is one topic that has now taken very serious dimension but hardly been realised in a serious enough way by the nations across the world.
The new thermal plants being built are certainly more efficient than older ones. There exist technology to have emission-free power plants - the only constraint is the cost. The cost of clean coal technology is very high, yet when we look at the alternatives to coal, they are even higher than that - for example, nuclear, solar, wind. The real costs of all these alternatives are still to be determined, but there is no doubt that clean coal technologies can double the cost of coal in generating energy.
None of the alternatives appears to be commercially viable right now for required generation of energy without considering subsidies and tax incentives . If any country accepts sustainable growth and development as the way forward, it subsumes the climate change issues.
At the same time, no country can ignore the inherent contradiction in the expression ‘sustainable growth’.
Growth essentially involves exploiting natural resources for human benefit and countries have to strike a delicate balance between environmental sustainability and economic growth. It is easier said than done.
As the climate issue impinges on everyone, wisdom demands that nations sink their petty differences in approach and strategy to stem the danger from spreading further and squeezing the survival prospects of one and all.
Principally, the efforts boil down to reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, caused primarily by accelerated economic development through exploitation of fossil fuels rich in carbon dioxide.
Every action does not need to be official or based on protocols. In any case, every country need to adopt new methods and ways of doing things in optimising the use of exhaustible resources, energy and water. Corporations / Institutions must carry out energy analysis and incorporate environmental accounting practices to reduce green house gas emission levels at their facilities. The government, in turn, could enforce a form of taxation based on companies’ contribution to climate change.
Climate change is today's biggest problem, threatening mankind with extinction. The problem, largely of man's own doing, must be treated as an emergency by all.
The president of Indonesia issued a Presidential decree instructing all central and regional authorities to support the moratorium by suspending the granting of permits for the use of “primary natural forests” for two years. This Presidential decree is part of Indonesia’s efforts to comply with the bilateral agreement between Indonesia and Norway on forest conservation.
Various governments worldwide are beginning to put regulations in place and to encourage development of more sustainable sources of power generation in order to protect populations worldwide from the immediate detrimental effects on life and health, and to protect the environment for future generation.
By : Sunil K Kumbhat , Jodhpur( Rajasthan ) India
Views expressed herein are personal views of the author and not that of COALspot.com.
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Wednesday, 12 June 24
CHINA ACCOUNTS FOR 16.3% OF AUSTRALIA'S COAL EXPORTS, FOLLOWED BY INDIA 14.4% - BANCHERO COSTA
Global coal trade has really picked up pace in recent months, and is now fully back to pre-Covid levels says Banchero Costa in its latest report.
...
Wednesday, 12 June 24
LNG NEWBUILDING VALUES AT RECORD HIGH: 78 NEWBUILD ORDERS PLACED IN 2024, DOUBLING 2023 - VESON NAUTICAL
The number of LNG newbuilding orders have more than doubled from the same period last year where 34 orders were placed, compared to 78 in the first ...
Monday, 10 June 24
CHINA'S MAY COAL IMPORTS RISE 11% ON LOWER DOMESTIC OUTPUT - REUTERS
China’s imports of coal rose 11% in May from a year earlier, customs data and Reuters records showed on Friday, as lower domestic output this ...
Tuesday, 04 June 24
HOW DO WESTERN SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA IMPACT THE GLOBAL METALS, MINING AND COAL MARKETS - WOOD MACKENZIE
The geopolitical landscape for Russia, as a major supplier of various commodities, has undergone a dramatic transformation since the invasion of Uk ...
Friday, 22 March 24
CASE STUDY: DANGERS OF COAL CARGO - SKULD
Recently, a bulk cargo vessel carrying coal from South Africa to Singapore suffered a fatal accident, resulting in the deaths of three crew members ...
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Showing 21 to 25 news of total 6871 |
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- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Planning Commission, India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- The University of Queensland
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Australian Coal Association
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- MS Steel International - UAE
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
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