We welcome article submissions from experts in the areas of coal, mining,
shipping, etc.
To Submit your article please click here.
|
|
|
Sunday, 20 June 10
OUR COAL: ITS DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
 Indonesia’s production of coal has been growing amazingly. In the mid 1980s, national coal production was less than 1 million tons per annum, whereas energy planners (in the fourth Five Year Development Plan: 1989-1994) pointed at 10 million tons as the national production target.
The current production has jumped dramatically, recorded as 237 million tons in 2008 (predicted to achieve 270 million tons this year), making Indonesia a world class producer and the largest exporter of coal around the globe. The skyrocketing growth of our coal production has also incited many controversial issues.
Coal is considered as the dirtiest among fossil fuels, making environmentalists oppose their wide use
as fuel.
However, the proposal for ceasing use of coal — power generation, for instance — would be challenged by power utilities demanding low cost fuel that coal may offer and by the government, which has the responsibility to provide electricity as well as have revenue from exploiting its energy resources.
Despite the world’s rising anxiety of global warming, IEA (International Energy Agency: World Energy Outlook 2009) statistics shows that the world consumption for coal, for the last decade, is still growing the fastest among primary energy sources.
The environmental problem associated with coal in Indonesia is not limited to green houses gases (GHG), but also damage and pollution since its exploitation, transportation and uses to post mining.
It is easy to find where many coal fields are not mined appropriately according to “good mining and environmental practices”, coal transportation is not considering safety standards and is damaging rivers, (public) roads and seashores.
The coal mining has polluted the land, water and air of especially Kalimantan, where more than 90 percent of Indonesia’s coal mining operations take place.
It is sad that many of the previous mining areas have been abandoned without being properly reclaimed, whereas thousands of hectares of the island’s tropical forests have been converted into desert.
The soaring exploitation, including its negative impact on the environment, has a strong correlation with the number of licensing/permits awarded.
The introduction of the 1999 Regional Autonomy Law, subsequently followed by the 1999 Fiscal Balancing Law between the Central and Regional Governments have — to some degree — impacted on the coal licensing regime, where larger authorities had been given to regional/local governments.
Under the new licensing regime by local governments, requirements for coal permits tend to be relaxed whereas monitoring has not been done properly.
As a result, the number of permits (Mining Authorization/KP) has been growing considerably (currently 462, of which 169 are producing), coal production increases, but also environmental problems and the issues of illegal mining exist.
The question of who really owns the KP licenses exists, which was defined as that it can be owned by Indonesian national/companies only.
While the largest part of coal in Indonesia are being produced by large companies (the holders of Coal Contract of Work/PKP2B), some coal is mined by small scale and illegal miners.
It is believed that a significant amount of coal has been produced by illegal miners (some 5 million tons annually) and part has gone to meet export demand.
Wherever in the world, illegal miners lack interest in responsible mining and mine rehabilitation practices. Illegal mining is a problem for potential investors, the environment and government revenues.
The government has introduced measures to crack down on problems, including arresting illegal miners.
However, it cannot be the only solution since illegal mining is actually rooted in underemployment, local poverty and weak law enforcement, while the number of people involved in these activities is quite significant.
An alternative to confrontation to illegal miners by the central government (who awards the large scale PKP2B mining license) should be a cooperative and more comprehensive approach.
“Despite the world’s anxiety of global warming, IEA statistics shows that the world consumption for coal is still growing the fastest among primary energy sources.”
Work together with local/rural governments and communities to reduce poverty, educate/assist the illegal miners to increase their awareness on good mining practices (including mine rehabilitation), provide transition period fiscal incentives to encourage illegal mining toward the regulated mining sector, among others.
It needs to maintain an appropriate balance between the soaring exports of coal (about three quarters of production on average) and the domestic growing demand for the same fuel.
Push for exports is still coming largely from the traditional East Asians (Japan is the largest), while the coal-hungry India and China are also increasing their demand for our coal.
The exports will be competed with by the Blue Print for Energy Management 2005-2025 pointing out that one third of Indonesia’s energy primary energy mix in 2025 is to be supplied by coal, (the current share is about 15 percent).
Even though it is often mentioned that our coal reserves are quite large (current proven reserves of 5.5 billion tons; estimated resources of 105 tones) and that our reserves for coal are much larger than that of oil and gas, we should watch their fast rate of exploitation cautiously.
It needs to recalculate the benefit of exploiting them, taking into account their damage to the environment and what is left post mining. Where have all the revenues from exploiting that coal gone? Is the escalating export not jeopardizing the domestic energy security in the near future?
We have ample experiences, for instance in exploiting the resources-rich Kalimantan. The forests, oil and gas reserves have been exploited for about four to five decades, but it seems that the island has not enjoyed the fruits of the excessive exploitation: the current regional economy remains weak, infrastructure is poor and energy supplies for local uses have not been secured.
It needs to promote the terms “resources balance, depletion, sustainability”, start internalizing the costs of environmental impact and enforce those concepts into workable policies for our coal mining development.
The writer is the senior energy planner and an economist with the National Development Planning Agency. The opinions expressed are his own.
Source: The Jakarta Post ( Hanan Nugroho)
If you believe an article violates your rights or the rights of others, please contact us.
|
|
Monday, 10 January 11
COAL MONGOLIA IS INVITING YOU TO THE INTERNATIONAL COAL SECTOR INVESTORS CONFERENCE
COALspot.com - (Press Release) - The Coal Mongolian Conference will take place at Chinggis Hotel, in Ulaanbaatar on 24-25, Feb 2011. The coal bonanz ...
Monday, 10 January 11
DEWA SEEKS ADVICE ON COAL POWER PROJECT -THE NATIONAL
The Dubai utility company gets nine bids from international groups for consultancy role.
The National reported that, Dubai's utility company wil ...
Saturday, 08 January 11
COAL PRICE WILL RISE IN SHORT-TERM DUE TO AUSTRALIA FLOODS - ALBUQUERQUE EXPRESS
Albuquerque Express reported that, Queensland’s mining minister, Stephen Robertson, has warned that the Australian state’s coal mines wi ...
Saturday, 08 January 11
THE INDONESIAN COAL REFERENCE PRICE HAS JUMPED 8.69 PERCENT IN JANUARY 2011
COALspot.com - Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has set the January 2011 Indonesian Coal Reference Price for thermal ...
Saturday, 08 January 11
SUPRAMAX VESSELS WERE FIXED AT AROUND $ 9000 PD FOR A TRIP VIA INDONESIA TO INDIA - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - The holiday season affect combined with severe flooding in Queensland ports continues to keep the market and pressure. “Suprama ...
|
|
|
Showing 5436 to 5440 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- The University of Queensland
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
|
| |
| |
|
