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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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Tuesday, 27 March 12
DRY BULK MARKET KEEP RISING FOLLOWING THE SAME TREND OF LAST WEEK - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The dry bulk market kept its upward momentum this week, on the same reasons of those last week. That is, the smaller ship types are still on the ris ...
Monday, 26 March 12
WEEKLY DRY MARKET OVERVIEW - MARIA BERTZELETOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The Baltic Dry Index follows its upward incline for fourth consecutive week by rising to more than 900 points, up by 37% from the bottom low in the ...
Monday, 26 March 12
GOLDEN MINES FY11 REVENUE JUMPS 209% - INSIDER STORIES
Insider Stories reported that, coal miner PT Golden Energy Mines Tbk (GEMS), that is controlled by Sinar Mas Group, recorded a 209% jump in revenue ...
Saturday, 24 March 12
AUSTRALIA'S MINERAL TAX : BENCHMARK FOR OTHER COUNTRIES - SUNIL K KUMBHAT
COALspot.com - Natural resources rich counties like Australia , Indonesia , South Africa , Brazil etc are going through a spectacular resources boom ...
Saturday, 24 March 12
THE AVERAGE CHARTER RATES WAS AT CAPESIZE $ 4,546 PER DAY VS SUPRAMAX / $ 10,819 PER DAY - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - The BDI crossed 900 points this week closing at 908 points up by 3.89 pct. All other sectors were up except for cape index whic ...
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- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Australian Coal Association
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- The University of Queensland
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Planning Commission, India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
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