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, 24 June 10
DRY BULK MARKET AT LOWEST POINT IN EIGHT MONTHS
The dry bulk market’s demise has failed to turn around so far this week, with the industry’s benchmark, the Baltic Dry Index (BDI), yest ...
Wednesday, 23 June 10
WILHELMSEN SHIPS SERVICE OPENS NEW OFFICE IN KRISHNAPATNAM PORT INDIA
Wilhelmsen Ships Service has opened a branch office in Krishnapatnam port on the east coast of India according to statement released by company ...
Wednesday, 23 June 10
PTC'S INDONESIAN COAL-MINING FORAY-I: TO INVEST USD 69 MILLION VIA OVERSEAS SPV
Moving ahead with its plans to acquire coal assets abroad, the power trading major, PTC India Limited, has decided to invest a total of USD 69 milli ...
Tuesday, 22 June 10
INDIA HAS REPORTED MORE COAL IMPORTS FROM COLOMBIA
A second consecutive week of sharp corrections for the dry bulk market, although some of the softness could be attributed to Chinese holidays at the ...
Monday, 21 June 10
THE SUPRAMAX INDEX IN THE FAR-EAST (S6 ROUTE) WAS DOWN BY $ 1300 PER DAY - VISTAAR
COALspot.com: The market continued to soften in all sectors last week also with the BDI dropping by 18.07 pct and Cape index by 26.71 pct.
The BD ...
|
|
|
Showing 5766 to 5770 news of total 6871 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Planning Commission, India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- The University of Queensland
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Australian Coal Association
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
|
| |
| |
|
