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, 28 September 12
DRY BULK SECOND HAND VESSELS ON HIGH DEMAND - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Despite the demise of the dry bulk market and the collapse of freight rates since the beginning of 2012, on the back of record breaking newbuilding ...
Thursday, 27 September 12
MINING RE-COMMENCES AT ORPHEUS' B2 EAST KALIMANTAN COAL PROJECT
- B2 project overburden removal completed and coal exposed
- Coal getting has commenced with target production of 30,000tpm
- Orpheus to re ...
Thursday, 27 September 12
HANDY: THE PACIFIC MARKET IS GETTING WEAKER WITH UPCOMING GOLDEN WEEK HOLIDAYS - FEARNLEYS AS
Handy
Yet another week with rates softening in all trades. Especially owners with ships open Continent struggle to find employment paying decent mo ...
Thursday, 27 September 12
DRY BULK MARKET LOSES STEAM - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The rise of the BDI (Baltic Dry Index), the dry bulk industry’s benchmark during the course of the previous week, proved to be short-lived, as ...
Wednesday, 26 September 12
NEWBUILDING ORDERING ACTIVITY REMAINS SUBDUED ON GLOBAL MARKET UNCERTAINTY - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Newbuilding ordering activity has been on the down side during the past few weeks, a trend also noticeable during the course of the past few days, a ...
|
|
|
Showing 4556 to 4560 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- White Energy Company Limited
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- VISA Power Limited - India
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Economic Council, Georgia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Planning Commission, India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Australian Coal Association
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- The University of Queensland
- PTC India Limited - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
|
| |
| |
|
