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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 September 13
INTERCARGO PUBLISHES BENCHMARKING BULK CARRIERS 2012-13 REPORT
The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (Intercargo) has today launched Benchmarking Bulk Carriers 2012-13, the latest edition of our ...
Thursday, 26 September 13
DRY BULK MARKET KEEPS ON RALLYING ON THE BACK OF HIGH CAPESIZE DEMAND - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
The dry bulk market has kept its momentum over the course of the past week, on the back of increased demand for Capesizes and an improvement of mark ...
Wednesday, 25 September 13
RBCT'S COAL EXPORT DECLINES IN AUGUST
COALspot.com - Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) is the single largest coal export terminal in South African as well as in the world has shipped 16. ...
Wednesday, 25 September 13
CAPES TOUCHING RATES NO ONE BELIEVED COULD BE ACHIEVED IN 2013 - INTERMODAL
Chartering (Wet: Stable- / Dry: Firm+ )
The Dry Bulk market is the gift that keeps on giving these days. With rates for Capes touching numbers ...
Wednesday, 25 September 13
IS IT TIME AGAIN TO SUPERSIZE AGAIN? - GEORGE LAZARIDIS
After an early arrival of the seasonal rally in the Capesize market, things look to be on the upbeat for these dry bulk giants. With the Index reach ...
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- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- PTC India Limited - India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Parliament of New Zealand
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- The University of Queensland
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
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