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Monday, 20 February 12
COAL BOOM AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN - SUNIL K KUMBHAT
 COALspot.com - The dawn of the 21st century has seen a shift in the world's commercial balance of power, with the dominance of the US, Europe and Japan challenged by the rapid industrialisation of hungry new economies. The rise of the so-called BRIIC nations - Brazil, Russia, India ,Indonesia and China - is giving birth to new global financial centres, vibrant industrial markets and above all surging demand for raw materials to supply new projects.
But where does environmental responsibility fit into this drive for resources?
Growing demand for thermal Coal has created a new coal boom, which is great news for Coal producing countries such as Indonesia, Australia , south Africa . The demand of coal is growing at a massive rate in Asia particularly India and China. Both the coal hungry countries are making efforts to secure supplies by acquiring Coal mines or forming Joint ventures for their new power generating plants.
The demand is fuelling the world prices of coal, although prices are still not as high as witnessed in 2008 when everything peaked before the global financial crisis but there all indications that by 2012/2013 coal prises will reach to record high.
The India and China are becoming the mainstay of the market . Both the countries are having huge Coal reserves ,but still they are importing huge qty of coal to meet there increased demand and as such they are effectively driving the world Coal market and its prices. India’s demand for coal is expected to grow at a faster rate than any other country in the world.
India's rich untapped mineral resources of more than 20 mineral types - including gold, copper, coal and bauxite but the fact that many of these resources are located in rural, heavily forested areas with predominantly tribal populations has raised concerns over the environmental impact of mining operations.
The country has a long history of environmental damage caused by both domestic and international mining companies, as well as the ecological problems from hundreds of abandoned mines in areas like Bihar's Jharia and Rhaniganj coal fields. Like China, India has been plagued by the environmental problems associated with illegal and unlicensed mining operations, which the country's Directorate General of Mines Safety has been ill-equipped to deal with due to funding deficiencies.
Similarly China has come under fire from human rights activists and environmental groups alike for its arguably lax approach to both worker safety (the country has become the mining disaster capital of the world in recent years) and environmental accountability. The Chinese Government's approach to corporate and environmental responsibility has been characterised by outside observers as simply paying lip service to the environment - hinting that ISO guidelines for mining would be welcomed - without implementing practical measures to promote change.
The environmental impact of mining operations in Brazil is also under sharper scrutiny than many other countries, primarily because its borders contain the lion's share of the Amazon rainforest, a haven for biodiversity and one of the most important eco-systems in the world.
As such, environmental awareness is particularly strong in the Brazilian mining industry. Experts from the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards are playing a leadership role in the further development of the recently introduced ISO 26000 international standard on social responsibility. Furthermore, licensing for new mining projects is often legally conditional on the drafting of comprehensive environmental impact studies, reports and extensive public consultations, particularly in areas inhabited by tribal groups.
Although carrying out mining operations in a region like the Amazon will be controversial, the environmental commitment seen here and echoed by many other Brazilian mining companies (including industry giant Vale, which has a complex environmental quality management system based on ISO 14001 standards) provides a useful model of awareness for other BRIC nations, and the global mining industry in general, to follow.
India is emerging as a fast economy, targeting 9-10% annual growth. Realizing the underlying growth potential will largely depend on it's ability to meet energy requirements. Energy sector whose growth targets inter alia depend on coal. At a 9% growth rate, the capacity requirement will be 960Gw and energy requirement will be 4,806 billion kWh. In the light of these projections, coal demand is estimated to rise many fold. Main concentration of Indian companies remains in Indonesia as many new mines are opened for exploration , exploitation and production .Today Indonesia is one of the most rapidly developing coal producing country in the world.
For a strong economy, one needs strong infrastructure and power plants. For strong infrastructure and power plants , one needs steel. Steel is the backbone of an economy, and it is metallurgical coal and thermal coal that is used to produce steel and electricity.
An increase in Coal production is the opposite of what the global climate change forums have wanted to see because coal without any doubt is one of the dirtiest and filthiest fossil fuel in terms of CO2 and when it comes to harmful emissions that most environmentalists and energy economists agree causes global warming.
Coal consumption is going in a direction that policy makers would prefer it not to go.
Critical question is whether there is a willingness amongst coal producers and power generating plants to make their technology cleaner, so it emits less greenhouse gases(GHG) which leads to global warming .Energy scientists have long been voicing concern on the rise in the level of Greenhouse gases, which leads to Global warming and climatic changes that are detrimental to economies worldwide.
The disastrous consequences for global climate change is one topic that has now taken very serious dimension but hardly been realised in a serious enough way by the nations across the world.
The new thermal plants being built are certainly more efficient than older ones. There exist technology to have emission-free power plants - the only constraint is the cost. The cost of clean coal technology is very high, yet when we look at the alternatives to coal, they are even higher than that - for example, nuclear, solar, wind. The real costs of all these alternatives are still to be determined, but there is no doubt that clean coal technologies can double the cost of coal in generating energy.
None of the alternatives appears to be commercially viable right now for required generation of energy without considering subsidies and tax incentives . If any country accepts sustainable growth and development as the way forward, it subsumes the climate change issues.
At the same time, no country can ignore the inherent contradiction in the expression ‘sustainable growth’.
Growth essentially involves exploiting natural resources for human benefit and countries have to strike a delicate balance between environmental sustainability and economic growth. It is easier said than done.
As the climate issue impinges on everyone, wisdom demands that nations sink their petty differences in approach and strategy to stem the danger from spreading further and squeezing the survival prospects of one and all.
Principally, the efforts boil down to reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, caused primarily by accelerated economic development through exploitation of fossil fuels rich in carbon dioxide.
Every action does not need to be official or based on protocols. In any case, every country need to adopt new methods and ways of doing things in optimising the use of exhaustible resources, energy and water. Corporations / Institutions must carry out energy analysis and incorporate environmental accounting practices to reduce green house gas emission levels at their facilities. The government, in turn, could enforce a form of taxation based on companies’ contribution to climate change.
Climate change is today's biggest problem, threatening mankind with extinction. The problem, largely of man's own doing, must be treated as an emergency by all.
The president of Indonesia issued a Presidential decree instructing all central and regional authorities to support the moratorium by suspending the granting of permits for the use of “primary natural forests” for two years. This Presidential decree is part of Indonesia’s efforts to comply with the bilateral agreement between Indonesia and Norway on forest conservation.
Various governments worldwide are beginning to put regulations in place and to encourage development of more sustainable sources of power generation in order to protect populations worldwide from the immediate detrimental effects on life and health, and to protect the environment for future generation.
By : Sunil K Kumbhat , Jodhpur( Rajasthan ) India
Views expressed herein are personal views of the author and not that of COALspot.com.
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Wednesday, 18 April 12
INDONESIA TO INTRODUCE EXPORT DUTY ON MINERAL ORES BY 6 MAY 2012
The Indonesian government is scheduled to issue regulation on export duty for minerals before May 6, 2012.
According to Bisnis Indonesia, as quot ...
Sunday, 15 April 12
THE SPOT FIXTURE RATES FOR SUPRAMAX IN SE ASIA SAW SOME SOFTENING OF CHARTER RATES - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - The market seem to be holding and except for Supramax and handy size index all other index was up with BDI up by 4.74 pct closing at ...
Friday, 13 April 12
MINERS OPPOSE GOVTS EXPORT TAX PLAN - THE JAKARTA POST
The Jakarta Post reported that, Indonesian mining companies have strongly protested the government’s plan to impose a 25 percent export tax on ...
Friday, 13 April 12
S&P CAUTIONS AGAINST NEW INDONESIAN MINING REGULATIONS - THE JAKARTA GLOBE
The Jakarta Globe reported that, Investors may have expressed concerns about looming new mining regulations, but ratings agency Standard & Poor& ...
Thursday, 12 April 12
FIRST QUARTER OF 2012 SAW AN ADDITIONAL 24.2 MILLION DWT OF DRY BULK CARRIERS ENTERING THE FLEET - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The inflow of newbuilt dry bulk vessels was larger than expected in the first quarter of 2012. As much as 24.2 million DWT were added to the fleet. ...
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- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- The University of Queensland
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- PTC India Limited - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
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