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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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Sunday, 18 March 12
BUKIT ASAM'S NET PROFIT IN 2011 ROSE 54% TO US$ 339.56 MILLION
COALspot.com - Company revenue for the period January - December 2011 amounting to Rp 10.6 trillion (approximately US$ 1,164,835,164.84) recorded an ...
Saturday, 17 March 12
THE FREIGHT RATES FOR INDONESIA TO INDIA REMAINED FIRM - VISTAAR SINGAPORE
COALspot.com - The market continued to be firm and all segments were up except for Cape Index which was down by 2.46 pct closing at 1,466 points.
...
Saturday, 17 March 12
INDIAN GOVT FINALIZES DRAFT BILL FOR COAL REGULATOR - PTI
The coal sector would soon get a regulator as the government has finalised a draft bill for the purpose, Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal said Wedne ...
Friday, 16 March 12
THE PACIFIC MARKET IS FIRMING UP - FEARNLEYS AS
Handy
A slightly positive trend was seen last week in the Atlantic. Skaw-Passero deliveries fixed around USD 3k to US Gulf, while US Gulf deliveres ...
Thursday, 15 March 12
RAINS AVERAGE SELLING PRICE OF COAL WENT UP BY 22 % IN 2011
COALspot.com - PT. Resource Alam Indonesia Tbk, an Indonesian CCoW (3rd Generation) holder reported Wednesday a 171 percent increase in net profits ...
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- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Australian Coal Association
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Planning Commission, India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- The University of Queensland
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- PTC India Limited - India
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
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