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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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Thursday, 22 March 12
ECI-CHINA HANDY RATES ARE AROUND US$ 8000 - FEARNLEYS
Handy
Another positive trend was seen last week with more cargoes entering the market. Skaw-Passero/US Gulf climbed slowly up to USD 3700, while US ...
Thursday, 22 March 12
DRY BULK MARKET KEEPS SURGING, CAPESIZES FALLING - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
In what seems to be an establishing pattern, the dry bulk market has kept its upward momentum, edging closer to the 900 point-mark, but the larger s ...
Wednesday, 21 March 12
BUMA HAS PRODUCED 2.3 MILLION TONS OF COAL IN FEBRUARY 2012
COALspot.com - PT. Delta Dunia Makmur's overburden removal in February 2012 has reached totaled 23.8 million bcm (+2.4% YoY) while coal production ...
Tuesday, 20 March 12
SMALLER DRY BULK VESSELS STILL LEADING DRY BULK MARKET TO HIGHER GROUND - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The dry bulk market has been growing during the past couple of weeks, but contrary to the usual practice, it’s not the larger Capesizes which ...
Monday, 19 March 12
WEEKLY DRY MARKET OVERVIEW: SMALLER VESSELS LEAD RATES HIGHER - MARIA BERTZELETOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The upward trend of the Baltic Dry Index persists strong from the end of February, spurred from the supramax market that offsets the weakness in the ...
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- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- PTC India Limited - India
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- The University of Queensland
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- White Energy Company Limited
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Economic Council, Georgia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Planning Commission, India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Australian Coal Association
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
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