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.
|
|
Thursday, 27 February 14
SHIPPING LOANS WORTH $5 BILLION HAVE CHANGED HANDS OVER THE PAST YEAR, AS FUNDS INVEST IN SHIPPING - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Funds investing in shipping has been the "talk of the town" over the past couple of years, as institutional investors, private equity and ...
Thursday, 27 February 14
NEWCASTLE COAL EXPORTS SLIP 26.68 PERCENT WEEK ON WEEK
COALspot.com: In the week ended 24 February 2014, power plant and semi-soft coking coal shipments from the port of Newcastle in Queensland, total 2. ...
Wednesday, 26 February 14
SMALLER SIZE SEGMENTS HOLDING ON TO THEIR LEVELS; CAPES CORRECTING UPWARDS - INTERMODAL
Chartering (Wet: Stable- / Dry: Stable+)
The Dry Bulk market continued to improve this past week, on the back of rates for the smaller size s ...
Tuesday, 25 February 14
GBCE, A COAL UPGRADING TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPER, APPOINTS RICHARD BULMAN AS PROJECT DIRECTOR
Press Release: GB Clean Energy Ltd. (GBCE) announced today the appointment of Richard Bulman as Project Director. In this capacity Mr. Bulman ...
Tuesday, 25 February 14
ULTRAMAXES ARE THE 'WEAPON OF CHOICE' FOR DRY BULK SHIP OWNERS - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
It's been a busy start in 2014, as the first month of the year was a rather active in terms of second hand vessel purchases and newbuilding orderin ...
|
|
|
Showing 3831 to 3835 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- The University of Queensland
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Australian Coal Association
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
|
| |
| |
|
