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, 10 January 13
DRY BULK PANAMAX MARKET HEAVILY OVERSUPPLIED, UNLIKELY TO FIND SUPPORT IN 2013 - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Despite positive indication for a significant surge of dry bulk demand this year, the oversupply problems of the market, will continue to weigh heav ...
Tuesday, 08 January 13
HOLIDAY ACTIVITY SCARCE IN THE MARKET OF SECOND HAND VESSELS - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Although the market for second hand vessel purchasing was quite lull during the Holiday period, as is usually the case, the first days of the New Ye ...
Tuesday, 08 January 13
NEWCASTLE PORT SHIPPED 3.197 MILLION MT OF COAL W/E 7 JANUARY 2013
COALspot.com - Newcastle port in Australia has loaded 3,197,580 MT of thermal and coking coal for week ended 0700 hours 7 January 2013, Newcas ...
Sunday, 06 January 13
CFR SOUTH CHINA COAL: 2014 DELIVERY CLOSED US$ 6.80 HIGHER THAN Q1 '13 PRICE
COALspot.com - Sub-Bit Indonesia coal swaps (FOB ) for average Q1’ 2013 delivery has gained 0.37 percent WoW and CFR South China coal sh ...
Sunday, 06 January 13
COAL BOOM: WAKE-UP CALL FOR INDIA & INDONESIA! - SUNIL K KUMBHAT
COALspot.com - Coal Boom : Scenario, Now & later!
Coal has been the dominant fuel for power generating plants in developed countries since th ...
|
|
|
Showing 4431 to 4435 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- The University of Queensland
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
|
| |
| |
|
