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.
|
|
Friday, 19 April 13
FIRST QUARTER OF 2013 PROVEN A POSITIVE SURPRISE FOR DRY BULK MARKET - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Despite ominous predictions regarding the negative performance of the dry bulk market during the – traditionally weak anyway – first qua ...
Thursday, 18 April 13
HANDY: STABLE ; PANAMAX: BUSY WEEK - FEARNRESEARCH
Handy
The Atlantic markets remain stable in this week. The USG-Feast was at USD 19k and Black Sea-Feast was at USD 12k. The Pacific market is bit f ...
Thursday, 18 April 13
FEATURE: PREDICTING THE FUTURE - AND THE PAST - BIMCO
It’s not predicting the future that is problematical, it’s the realisation that you have to relive the past again and again when you fai ...
Wednesday, 17 April 13
INDONESIA SHIPPED 80 MILLION TONS OF COAL IN FIRST QUARTER - COAL DIRECTOR
COALspot.com - Indonesia has exported around 80 million tons of coal including power plant coal in first three months of this year.
Speaking on t ...
Tuesday, 16 April 13
AUSTRALIAN NEWCASTLE PORT'S COAL EXPORTS JUMPED 20.87 PER CENT ON WEEK TO 3.07 MMT
COALspot.com - Newcastle port in Australia has loaded 3,077,431 tons of thermal and coking coal for week ended 0700 hours 15 April 2013, Newca ...
|
|
|
Showing 4311 to 4315 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- PTC India Limited - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Planning Commission, India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- The University of Queensland
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
|
| |
| |
|
