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.
|
|
Saturday, 25 August 12
FREIGHT RATES ARE EXPECTED TO BE STEADY NEXT WEEK - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - This week the indices showed some signs of improvement will all the segments moving up except for the handy size.
The BDI was marg ...
Saturday, 25 August 12
INDONESIAN COAL SWAP REMAINS STABLE AT LOW LEVEL
COALspot.com - Sub-Bit Indonesia coal swaps (FOB ) for October 2012 delivery gain 0.804 percent W-o-W on Friday (24 August 2012) closing but lost 0. ...
Thursday, 23 August 12
INDONESIA-INDIA, LARGE ECO SUPRA FIXED AT USD 6K FOR DELIVERY SOUTH CHINA - FEARNLEYS AS
Handy
The market continued the same trend as last week, low activity and holidays in some countries.
Rate wise unchanged, with US Gulf/Continent ...
Thursday, 23 August 12
EGCO GROUP EXPANDS TOWARDS INTEGRATED ENERGY BUSINESS WITH INVESTMENT IN INDONESIAS COAL MINE
Electricity Generating Public Company Limited or EGCO Group, the Thailand’s first Independent Power Producer has continually invaded foreign m ...
Thursday, 23 August 12
EGCO GROUP ANNOUNCES 2 BILLION BAHT PROFITS IN Q2/2012
Successfully Establishes Integrated Energy Business and Strengthen Investments in ASEAN
Mr. Sahust Pratuknukul, President of Electri ...
|
|
|
Showing 4606 to 4610 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Planning Commission, India
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- The University of Queensland
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- PTC India Limited - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
|
| |
| |
|
