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.
|
|
Wednesday, 15 December 10
LARGE ORDERBOOK TO HINDER 2011 DRY BULK MARKET REBOUND DESPITE INCREASED DEMAND SAYS PARAGON SHIPPING - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
A large orderbook which currently stands at 53% of the existing fleet is expected to render 2011 another challenging year for the dry bulk marke ...
Wednesday, 15 December 10
SMALLER DRY BULK VESSELS ARE LOOKING UP, LARGER ONES FAIL TO DELIVER - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The dry bulk market lost further ground at the beginning of the week, in what could prove one of the slowest periods ship owners have been faced. Ye ...
Tuesday, 14 December 10
COAL IMPORTS MAY INCREASE 78% TO CHINA, INDIA: ENERGY MARKETS - BUSINESS WEEK
Business Week reported that, China and India may increase imports of coal by 78 percent to 337 million metric tons next year, further driving up pri ...
Tuesday, 14 December 10
BANPU PLANNING PRODUCTION BOOM - BANGKOK POST
Australian, Indonesian output to lead growth
Bangkok Post reported that, Banpu Plc, Asean's largest coal miner, wants to nearly double its coal ...
Tuesday, 14 December 10
THE FREIGHT RATES FROM INDONESIA TO INDIA AND CHINA REMAINED FIRM - CAPT. REDDY
COALspot.com - The freight market continued to be soft with the Cape sector most effected which was down by 289 points and closed at 2,694 poi ...
|
|
|
Showing 5491 to 5495 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- The University of Queensland
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Australian Coal Association
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- PTC India Limited - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
|
| |
| |
|
