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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, 07 March 12
ASSESS ASIAS POTENTIAL, DEVELOPMENTS AND APPETITE FOR SHALE AT SHALE GAS SUMMIT
Press Release - Assess Asia’s Potential, Developments and Appetite for Shale at Shale Gas Summit on 23-24 Apr, 2012 in Beijing
China is rep ...
Wednesday, 07 March 12
3RD MOZAMBIQUE COAL CONFERENCE
3rd Mozambique Coal Conference
2-4 July 2012 | Joaquim Chissano International Conference Centre , Maputo, Mozambique
http://www.immevents.com/mo ...
Wednesday, 07 March 12
DRY BULK MARKET KEEPS UP TIMID REBOUND - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The dry bulk market has kept its rising momentum yesterday, rising for the eighth straight session, on the back of renewed demand for smaller bulk c ...
Wednesday, 07 March 12
BUKIT ASAM EYES 39% RISE IN COAL SALES - INSIDER STORIES
Insider Stories reported that, PT Bukit Asam Tbk is scouting a 39% increase in coal sales volume to 18.66 million tons this year from last year with ...
Wednesday, 07 March 12
PETROSEA SEALS US$188 MIO CONTRACT - INSIDER STORIES
Insider Stories reported that, coal mining contractor PT Petrosea Tbk has secured a US$188 million additional contract from its affiliated firm PT S ...
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- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- The University of Queensland
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- White Energy Company Limited
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Planning Commission, India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- PTC India Limited - India
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Australian Coal Association
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
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