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Friday, 19 November 10
WE'LL THINK ABOUT COAL TOMORROW - ANALYSIS
 The future of coal generation in Russia is in question. The largest energy companies have abandoned their initial plans to switch their thermal power stations over to solid fuel. Experts think that the power-plant operators' unquenchable love for gas is not only destroying the coal industry, it is threatening the country's energy security. A correspondent for RusBusinessNews armed himself with statistics and delved into the causes and possible consequences of yet another victory of the blue flame over coal.
A COAL RENAISSANCE
Up until the 1980's, the Soviet generation actively burned coal. Then they took a so-called "gas break," and solid fuel was gradually squeezed out by gas. This "break" was supposed to last no more than 10-15 years - the amount of time energy engineers and scientists needed to develop new, more economical, and environmentally friendly ways of burning coal. But the reforms of the 1990's upset those plans and the process of returning to coal production dragged on for another decade.
The beginning of the 21st century could be called the coal renaissance era. The energy industry could barely keep up with the growing needs of Russia's reviving industrial sector. An urgent need arose to construct new facilities and rebuild older ones. Gazprom's increased exports caused a gas shortage on the domestic market, which prompted power-plant operators to resurrect the idea of returning to coal production. In addition, there was an economic incentive - in the mid-2000's, gas and coal were approximately equal in price.
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In 2006, RAO UES of Russia promised to reduce the percentage of gas in the country's fuel balance from 69% to 67% over the course of four years, and to bring it down to 60% by 2015. They planned to increase the percentage of solid fuel from 27% to 37% in the next nine years. The work begun by RAO was continued by its "daughter" companies: OGK and TGK (Wholesale Generation Company and Territorial Generation Company). A few years ago, TGK-10 (the public corporation Fortum) was planning to switch three of its thermal power stations in the Chelyabinsk region to solid fuel. This coal strategy was developed by KES-Holding, OGK-1, and OGK-3. OGK-3 was also actively buying up coal.
Although the power-plant operators' plans were frozen by the economic crisis in 2008, by 2009 and early 2010, coal was revived by the price increase of gas and began once again nipping at gas's heels. "The price of gas has increased 25% almost every year for the past three years. If this hike continues, we will actively seek to increase the percentage of coal we use," claimed Mikhail Slobodin, the president of KES-Holding, last April. The company expects to save a billion cubic meters of gas at its power plants in the Sverdlovsk region by the end of 2010.
But six months later, KES and other energy companies reversed course. "The fuel balance structure will remain as it is for now. The Chinese demand for high-energy coal prompted a jump in the price of solid fuel. In addition, there is currently a surplus of gas on the market," said Eduard Smelov, the executive vice president of KES, in October of 2010.
Analysts note that this "surplus" is the result of setbacks Gazprom has experienced with its exports. According to Igor Yushkov, an expert with the Foundation for National Energy Security, the gas giant lost its European market this year because of the "shale" revolution in the US. "This enormous Russian company had recently devised big plans to enter markets in the East and West. However, after the US dramatically increased its production of gas in early 2010, Europe reduced the amount of gas it imports from Russia. Gazprom must now increase its presence on the domestic market," notes Igor Yushkov.
This change in the market for the monopoly's products has forced power-plant operators to adjust their fuel plans, pushing coal projects into the background.
A FUEL IMBALANCE IN AN UNDERDEVELOPED ENERGY INDUSTRY
The fuel used by Russian electric plants consists of 70% gas and only 28% coal. No other country uses a mix like that. According to data from the Institute for Energy Research, coal production accounts for an average of 39% of the fuel used in power plants throughout the world. In many countries, it accounts for half of energy companies' fuel portfolios: in Poland - 96%, India - 81%, China -79%, USA - 54%, and Germany - 51%. In recent years coal has become even more attractive for Europe, due to doubts about the reliability of gas shipments caused by the energy disputes between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia has enormous reserves of solid fuel - 192.3 billion tons of categories A+B+C1, and 78.5 billion tons of category C2. 80% of these supplies consist of steam coal. The Kuznetsk basin is the largest supplier of coal, producing 55% of all of the country's solid fuel. Every year Russia produces over 300 million tons of coal.
About 20 coal-gas plants operate in the country. It's estimated that a full changeover of these plants to coal will save up to 27 billion cubic meters of gas per year. "When we burn gas, we're burning our future, our currency, and new technology. Gas should be used very sparingly - we should be getting our energy from coal," confidently claims Ivan Mokhnachuk, the chairman of the independent union of coal-industry workers.
But experts note that the Russian energy industry might not be ready for a "coal" revolution. "The declaration by energy companies that they were switching to coal was just a game of chicken that Gazprom started. It costs an enormous amount of money to retrofit a plant to use a different type of fuel, and the power-plant operators will never do it voluntarily. It's not at all realistic to try to force them to build modern coal facilities," a representative from one energy company told RusBusinessNews.
According to him, a coal power unit is 33% more expensive than a gas unit, amounting to about $2,000 for one kilowatt of energy. It also costs a lot of money to build an ash-disposal site, a water-intake structure, and treatment facilities. And in addition, one has to regularly pay penalties for air pollution and adopt expensive Western technology to burn coal with less environmental damage. Unfortunately, Russian science and industry cannot provide power-plant operators with their own technology. And the technology that they managed to create in the USSR before the era of perestroika is now hopelessly outdated.
"In the last twenty years, Europe has made huge technological breakthroughs for using coal energy. But we're still stuck in the 1980's," claims Leonid Solovjev, the chief engineer at the Sverdlovsk branch of TGK-9.
THAT DEVIOUS GAZPROM...
Compared to other regions, the fuel component of the energy industry in the Urals seems balanced. According to information from Petr Erokhina, the director of the Joint Dispatch Office for Urals Energy Systems (ODU Ural), the ratio of gas to coal in the Urals Federal District is 50/50, and even 40/60 in some areas. However, gas has recently been slowly squeezing out its competitor in the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions. For obvious reasons, coal is not even discussed in the oil- and gas-rich Tyumen region, Yugra, and Yamal.
Much of the energy in the industrial areas of the Urals Federal District comes from burning coal from Ekibastuz (Kazakhstan) as well as local coal. The latter is of very low quality. "The thermal power station in Bogoslovsk consumes about one million tons of Volchansk coal every year. It's really filthy to burn. But if we refuse to use it, the miners will be out of work," explained Leonid Solovjev. The Forum corporation, in turn, is not ruling out gradually replacing Korkinsk coal (Chelyabinsk region) with an imported variety.
Nor does the Ekibastuz coal meet the requirements of Urals power-plant operators. "Half of every 100 cars of coal isn't coal at all - it's ash, which damages the equipment and which we have to find somewhere to store. For comparison: in Europe you're only allowed to have 10% ash, because the fuel there is treated right at the production site," notes Leonid Solovjev.
Coal in Russia is treated as well, but as a rule, the higher-quality energy resources are saved for export. The paradox is that our domestic thermal power stations are not designed for high-energy fuel. They can only burn untreated coal at a low level of efficiency and create kilowatt hours with a high production cost. "A review of our fuel options would require changes to the way we burn coal and a strict compliance with the technology. We would need serious investment to modernize our plants - up to $100 per kilowatt of installed capacity," claim representatives of the private company E4-SibKOTES.
These constraints are only part of a long list of problems connected with retrofitting the Russian energy industry. Leonid Solovjev notes that using solid fuel is financially viable as long as gas is two or three times as expensive as coal (currently the difference is 20-30%). Nor does Petr Erokhin see an economic reason for this fuel revolution. But he is certain that the development of coal production is vital to the country's energy security.
However, a number of experts believe that it's not worth it for Russia to change its gas habit. Igor Yushkov notes that the country has enough gas reserves to last a long time, and all the talk about an impending shortage is just Gazprom being devious.
The existing technological and financial obstacles, global economic trends, business interests, plus Gazprom's administrative resources all give one confidence that Russia's energy industry will be focusing on gas for the next five years. Perhaps coal will gain the upper hand once the price of gas equalizes on the foreign and domestic markets. But in any event, should the fuel revolution actually happen, it will be consumers who will have to pay for it.
Source: RusBusiness News
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Sunday, 21 November 10
THE FREIGHT MARKET MAY SLIGHTLY FIRM UP NEXT WEEK - CAPT. REDDY
COALspot.com: The freight market continued its down fall with BDI down by 6.83 pct and closed at 2,155 points.
According to Vistaar Shipping of S ...
Saturday, 20 November 10
ITALIAN STEAM COAL MARKET HAS RECOVERED - ITALIAN COAL ASSOCIATION
Press Release - This year Italy will import 17 million tons of steam coal, up 3% from 2009, and 5.5 million tons of coking coal and PCI, up 37% over ...
Friday, 19 November 10
DRY BULK MARKET ON THE ROPES WITH BDI PLUNGING TO 2,164 POINTS - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
With the panamax markets suffering the most this week, but a ray of hope for the capesize market, which appears to be stabilizing after days of fall ...
Thursday, 18 November 10
WORLD COAL ASSOCIATION WELCOMES NEW CHAIRMAN & SHENHUA GROUP AS NEW MEMBER 17 NOVEMBER 2010
Press Release – The premier global coal industry association marks its 25th anniversary with a new Chairman and welcomes China’s lar ...
Thursday, 18 November 10
MUNDRA PORT AWARDED BEST PRIVATE PORT - COMMODITY ONLINE / HELLENIC SHIPPING
Adani Group owned, Mundra Port has been awarded the Annual Indian Maritime Gateway Award for the Best Private Port of the Year for the third consecu ...
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- MS Steel International - UAE
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Australian Coal Association
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Planning Commission, India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- White Energy Company Limited
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- The University of Queensland
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
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