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, 13 July 15
THE DRY BULK MARKET CLOSED ON A POSITIVE TONE THIS PAST WEEK
COALspot.com: Despite Greece crisis and turmoil in the stock market across the world , the freight market overall was firm and up in all segments t ...
Sunday, 12 July 15
SHIPYARD NOT LIABLE FOR ENGINE ROOM FIRE CAUSED BY OIL LEAKAGE - BIRCH WINDAHL
KNOWLEDGE TO ELEVATE
A Danish vessel owner requested a Danish shipyard to undertake repairs and maintenance works on its vessel. An agreement ...
Saturday, 11 July 15
MAJOR IRANIAN GAS EXPORTS WILL TAKE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS - FITCH
Iran has the long-term potential to become one of the world's top gas producers, thanks to its 34 trillion cubic meters (tcm) of natural gas re ...
Friday, 10 July 15
DRY BULK MARKET KEEPS POSITIVE MOMENTUM - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The dry bulk market has kept its positive momentum over the course of the past few days, thanks to Panamax gains. During yesterday’s session ...
Friday, 10 July 15
U.S PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY TOTALED AN ESTIMATED 14.1 MMST WEEK OVER WEEK - EIA
COALspot.com – United States the second largest coal producer in the world has produced approximately totaled an estimated 14.1 million short ...
|
|
|
Showing 2931 to 2935 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Planning Commission, India
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Parliament of New Zealand
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- The University of Queensland
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Australian Coal Association
- White Energy Company Limited
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
|
| |
| |
|
