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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)
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Friday, 29 October 10
CAPE MARKET STARTED TO BREAK THOUGH THE UPWARDS RESISTANCE LEVEL OF USD 40K DAILY FOR SPOT CARGOS - FEARNLEYS
HANDY
The Atlantic markets remain flat and lackluster. The expectations that the grain ...
Friday, 29 October 10
CHINA'S COAL DEMAND DRIVES DRY BULK MARKET HIGHER - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The dry bulk market is posting marginal, yet steady growth this week, with the Baltic Dry Index rising yesterday to 2784 points, up by 0.2%. Both th ...
Wednesday, 27 October 10
TNPL TO AWARD 240,000 MT COAL SUPPLY CONTRACT TO COAL & OIL
COALspot.com: Tamil Nadu Newsprint Papers Limited, Tamil Nadu state owned Newsprint and Printing & Writing Paper producer has opened a coal purc ...
Wednesday, 27 October 10
CHINA AIDS RUSSIA IN DEVELOPING COAL RESOURCES - PEOPLE'S DAILY
People's Daily reported that, Russia will use 6 billion U.S. dollars in loans provided by China to develop coal resources in Sakhalin Island, Elege ...
Wednesday, 27 October 10
MAIDEN COAL SHIPMENTS TO NOBLE RESOURCES - PAN ASIA AUSTRALIA
Press Release :
First Coal Shipments made from Nadvara Coal Project, East Kalimantan
51,616 tonnes delivered from October production &ndas ...
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- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Australian Coal Association
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Planning Commission, India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- The University of Queensland
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
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