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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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Monday, 28 September 15
CAPESIZE FLEET INCREASES BY JUST 1 VESSEL DURING LAST 12 MONTHS, IN POSITIVE SIGN FOR DRY BULK SHIPPING MARKET - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
After a rather tumultuous period, the shipping industry and more particular the dry bulk market has started to adjust to the new realities of globa ...
Monday, 28 September 15
Q1'16 CFR SOUTH CHINA COAL SWAP ROSE 2.73 PER CENT M-M
COALspot.com: API 8 CFR South China Coal swap for 4Q’ 2015 delivery moved upward US$ 1.45 (3.04 %) per ton month over month.
A commodity ...
Sunday, 27 September 15
THE PANAMAX INDEX FELL 1.19 PCT WEEK OVER WEEK
COALspot.com: The BDI closed Friday (25/09/2015) at 943 points, down by 17 points compared to previous Friday closing (18/09/2015). The BDI wa ...
Friday, 25 September 15
COAL PRODUCTION IN THE U.S. FOR THE WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 19 ROSE 2.5% PER CENT W-W
COALspot.com – United States the world’s second largest coal producer has produced approximately totaled an estimated 17.8 million shor ...
Wednesday, 23 September 15
CAPESIZE: SPOT RATES HAVE INCREASED MORE THAN 70 PER CENT DURING LAST WEEK
Dry Bulk owners, always look at September as the time that the market “signals” what lies ahead for the remainder of the year. The Chin ...
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- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- The University of Queensland
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- White Energy Company Limited
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- PTC India Limited - India
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