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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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Thursday, 26 February 15
DRY BULK MARKET LOOKING FOR POSITIVE MOMENTUM, BUT PROSPECTS REMAIN DIM - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
As the Baltic Dry Index (BDI) inched a bit higher over the past couple of sessions and the Chinese are returning to the market after a week long hi ...
Wednesday, 25 February 15
PORT OF NEWCASTLE SHIPPED 13.16MT OF COAL IN JANUARY; DECLINED 16.70% FROM A MONTH AGO
COALspot.com: The Port of Newcastle, Australia’s major trading ports and the world’s largest coal export port, has shipped $1.15 billio ...
Wednesday, 25 February 15
BDI SLIPPING ONCE MORE TO FRESH HISTORICAL LOWS
COALspot.com: With the BDI slipping once more to fresh historical lows and the Chinese holidays underway, signs for a positive reversal in the Dry ...
Tuesday, 24 February 15
FOB INDONESIA COAL SWAP SET TO RALLY
COALspot.com: Indonesian coal swaps for delivery Q2' 2015 rose week over week and month on month.
The Q2 swap increased US$ 3.30 (+7.30%) ...
Tuesday, 24 February 15
Q3' FOB RICHARDS BAY COAL SWAP CLOSED $59.80 W/E 20 FEB
COALspot.com: API 4 FOB Richards Bay Coal swap for delivery Q2' 2015 surge month over month and decline week on week.
The Q2 swap has soar ...
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- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- White Energy Company Limited
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- The University of Queensland
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- PTC India Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Australian Coal Association
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
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