Page 8 - Coal

World off track to curb global warming, but offers ways to fix: UN report

With the world far off track on its 2015 pledge to curb global warming, a new United Nations report central to upcoming climate negotiations details how quickly and deeply energy and financial systems must change to get back on a safer path. The window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all is rapidly closing, Friday's report warned. The globe has to cut its emissions of heat-trapping gases by 43% by 2030, compared to 2019 levels, and 60% by 2035, the report said. To get there, the report said, the phase-out of unabated fossil fuels is required, using a phrase international climate negotiators have shied away from before. It also said phasing out the internal combustion engine would be a huge help. And the way money flows such as investments, subsidies, loans, grants and payments for people and places hurt by warming's extreme weather also has to change, the report recommended. It said countries need to stop USD 450 billion in annual subsidies for coal,

Coal dispatch grows 6% to over 324 MT during Apr-Aug: Coal ministry

Coal dispatch to the power sector increased 6 per cent to 324.5 million during the April-August period of the current fiscal, an official statement said on Tuesday. Coal dispatch to the power sector was at 306.70 MT during the year-ago period, the Ministry of Coal said. "Coal dispatch to the power sector from April to August amounted to 324.5 MT, a growth of 5.8 per cent compared to 306.7 MT in corresponding period of the previous year," it said. As on August 31, the overall coal stock position at mines, thermal power plants and transit was 86 MT compared to 68.76 MT a year ago, an increase of over 25 per cent. "This higher coal stock position indicates commitment of maintaining ample supply, and highlights effective stock management strategies and operational efficiency," the ministry said. The ministry further said there has been a 53.13 per cent decline in the import of thermal coal for blending to 9 MT in the April-August period from 19.2 MT a year ago. This underscores the .

India's per capita coal emissions surged by 29% in 7 years: Analysis

India saw a 29 per cent increase in per capita coal emissions in 2022 as compared to 2015, while G20 per capita coal emissions rose by about 9 per cent from 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2015 to 1.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022, according to a new analysis by global energy think tank 'Ember'. The annual report on 'Changes in per capita coal power emissions of G20 countries' also found that 12 out of 20 G20 economies saw declining per capita coal emissions since 2015. "However, G20 per capita coal emissions slightly increased by about 9 per cent from 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2015 to 1.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022. India saw a 29 per cent increase in seven years in per capita coal emissions compared to 2015," said the report which focuses on global transition to clean electricity. Dave Jones, Global Insights Lead, Ember said China and India are often blamed as the world's big coal power polluters. "But when you take population into account, South Korea and Australi

Coal transition won't lead to job losses if system aptly executed: ISA DG

India won't experience any job losses in coal-dependent regions as it transitions towards renewable energy, provided the country designs its systems correctly, says Ajay Mathur, Director-General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). In an interview with PTI, Mathur also said energy security remains a driving force, especially in view of the Russia-Ukraine war impacting traditional energy sources. While India doesn't intend to fully eliminate coal, the sole dependable energy source in the nation, there is a target to diminish coal's contribution from the existing 50 per cent in the energy mix to around 30 per cent and have 500 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030. Addressing concerns about loss of jobs as India moves away from coal, Mathur, who has also been a member of the Indian Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change, said the renewable sector holds promise for employment generation, particularly at the user level. "We need far more trained electricians who

JSW Steel plans to pick up 20%-40% stake in Teck Resources' coal unit

JSW, along with Japanese and Korean mills, plans to buy a stake in Teck's Elk Valley Resources, with a combined offer valuing the unit at $8 billion, Jindal told the publication in an interview

Enough stock available to meet any sudden increase in demand: Coal India

Coal India Limited (CIL) Chairman and Managing Director P M Prasad on Wednesday said that sufficient coal stock is available in the country and the company is ready to meet any sudden increase in demand. Prasad told shareholders at the 49th AGM that the company is working on a number of initiatives to increase its production capacity, including the development of new mines and the expansion of existing ones. CIL is committed to meeting the country's growing demand for coal and is ready to address any sudden surge in demand, he said. On Tuesday, the coal ministry reviewed the dry fuel's production and offtake in a meeting with senior officials due to the surge in power demand across the country. The country has sufficient coal stocks, with almost 80 million tonnes of coal available with thermal power plants and Coal India, Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi had said. Speaking about FY23 performance, Prasad said that CIL produced a record 703.2 million tonnes (MT) of coal in the fiscal yea

Nilkanth Coal Mining bags Sherband coal block in 7th round of auctions

Nilkanth Coal Mining Pvt Ltd (NCMPL) has bagged a coal block under the seventh round of coal auctions launched earlier this year, an official statement said. The coal mine is partially explored, the Ministry of Coal said. Nilkanth Coal Mining has bagged the Sherband coal block in Chhattisgarh with 90 million tonnes (MT) coal reserves, it said. The Ministry of Coal launched the auctions of coal mines for commercial mining under the seventh round and the second attempt of the sixth round on March 29, 2023.

Coal CPSEs to scale up renewable energy capacity to 7231 MW by 2027

Coal PSUs have planned to scale up their total installed renewable energy capacity to 7,231 megawatt (MW) by 2027, an official statement said on Thursday. About 1,600 MW of renewable capacity has already been created till March 2023, by the PSUs Coal India Ltd (CIL), NLC India Ltd (NLCIL), and Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL). On Tuesday, Union Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi said coal PSUs have made an investment plan of Rs 2.5 lakh crore for developing renewable energy (projects), installing clean coal technologies and new mine development projects. In a statement, the Coal Ministry said, "CPSEs will achieve 7,231 MW RE capacity by 2027. CIL and its subsidiaries and NLCIL have planned to install 3000 MW and 3,731 MW of renewable energy capacity, respectively. In line with the Panchamrit commitment of the Prime Minister, CPSEs are advised to diligently draft net zero plan for the coal mining sector." As per the national commitment, Coal PSUs have meticulously ...

India second country after China to burn one billion tonnes of coal: IEA

In 2023, China and India will account for 70 per cent of global coal consumption, or double the amount of coal burnt in the rest of the world combined

Overall coal stock position in India grows 34% to 103 MT: Coal ministry

The overall coal stock position in the country rose 34 per cent to 103 million tonnes (MT) on July 16, an official statement said on Tuesday. As on July 16, 2023, thermal power plant coal stock stands at 33.46 MT, which is 28 per cent higher compared to the corresponding period of last financial year, the coal ministry said in a statement. "Coal availability at all locations including pithead coal stock at mine end, stock in transit and TPPs is 103 MT as against 76.85 MT last year, which is 34 per cent higher year-on-year. The ministry is also closely coordinating with all central gencos (generation companies) and state gencos and there is absolutely no shortage of coal for the power sector," it said. The ministry further said that coal companies have undertaken construction of cemented roads for uninterrupted evacuation from larger mines. Transportation from nine coal mines to railway sidings has been started through mechanised coal handling plants. Coal production from April 1 to

Jharkhand CM demands hike in coal royalty, foodgrains in NITI Aayog meeting

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren demanded a hike in royalty on coal at a meeting with a team from the NITI Aayog, officials said on Thursday. At the meeting, he also raised the issue of the release of compensation for land acquisition, which he said was pending with different coal companies. An eight-member team of NITI Aayog, led by its member Vinod Kumar Paul, is on a visit to the state to review its progress on various aspects. It held a meeting with the chief minister at the state secretariat on Wednesday. Soren said compensation of about Rs 80,000 crore is due with different coal companies against land acquisition, and only Rs 2,532 crore has been given. "Coal companies should pay compensation for the land they have acquired, even if mining work has not started on it," he said. It was agreed at the meeting that the coal companies will submit a report on how much land was acquired and how much compensation was paid, an official statement said. Soren also demanded that th

South Eastern Coalfields plans Rs 1,218 cr investment for solar projects

As part of its net zero commitments, Chhattisgarh-based mining company SECL has lined up an investment of Rs 1,218 crore spread up to financial year 2025-26 for setting up solar projects. South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL), with 67 blocks, is among the top three coal producing subsidiaries of Coal India Ltd (CIL), under the Ministry of Coal. In FY23, CIL's output was 703.21 MT, out of which SECL's contribution was 167 MT. "SECL aims to become a net-zero energy company. SECL plans to develop solar projects of more than 600 MW in the coming years, and plans to invest more than Rs 1,000 crore in renewable energy. The investments are part of the company's strategy to expand and diversify its business to achieve net zero commitments," SECL said in a statement. Sharing the break up of the investment plan, SECL said two solar projects of 20 megawatt (MW) each are being set up at Bhatgaon and Bishrampur, and another 0.8 MW at Saraipali Korba area in Chhattisgarh. Total cost of these projec

Coal production increased in big way from FY22-FY23; supply improved: Icra

India's coal production picked up in "a big way" during FY22 and FY23 resulting into improved availability and supply of the dry fuel, on account of various government initiatives towards the sector, Icra said. The production of Coal India grew by 12.1 per cent in FY23, the ratings agency said, adding it was the fastest growth rate registered by the state-owned miner in the past few decades. Besides enhancing output and supply, the government implemented multiple reforms to bring in greater transparency, improvement in ease of doing business, and investment attractiveness in the domestic coal and mining sectors, Jayanta Roy, Senior Vice President & Group Head Corporate Ratings, Icra, said. The government has taken various initiatives since January 2015. The policy interventions, especially with regard to the both captive and commercial coal mining have ushered in greater transparency and ease of doing business in the coal sector, he said in the Icra note. "Domestic coal ...

NTPC's captive coal mines production nearly doubles to 8.48 MMT in Apr-Jun

The production from captive coal mines of NTPC almost doubled to 8.48 million metric tonnes (MMT) in the first quarter of FY24, a statement said on Saturday. NTPC produced 4.27 MMT coal from its captive mines in Q1 FY23, the company said in the statement. The despatch of coal from its mines more than doubled to 8.82 MMT in Q1 FY24 from 4.17 in April-June FY23, it added. "This outstanding performance reflects NTPC's relentless commitment to enhancing coal production from its captive mines and ensuring efficient supply to meet the nation's energy needs," it said. To achieve sustained growth in coal production, NTPC has implemented a range of strategies and technologies. These include the adoption of rigorous safety measures, improved mine planning, equipment automation, workforce training and implementation of continuous monitoring and analysis systems. NTPC Ltd, under the power ministry, is India's largest integrated power utility, contributing 1/4th of the country's energy

CIL should remain public sector entity to maintain price stability: Chair

Coal India Chairman Pramod Agrawal said on Thursday that the company should continue to remain as a "government entity" in the future to maintain "price stability" of the dry fuel in the country and suggested an alternative methodology for coal pricing in future. In an interview with PTI a day before his term ends as the head of Coal India on June 30, Agrawal said unlocking value cannot be the "sole" purpose of all enterprises. As a government-owned entity, Coal India holds the responsibility of ensuring that the benefits of coal production are distributed to the public, he said. Agrawal also pointed out that the miner's identity is synonymous with the country's energy sector, and the present structure with CIL as the apex holding company is "strong and stable". "We have seen severe price escalation in international coal prices last year. In such a scenario, private companies would have stepped up their prices as well. However, for a government agency like Coal India, such a situat

Technical bids for 7th coal block auction to open on Wednesday: Ministry

Technical bids coming for the seventh round of commercial coal block auctions will be opened on June 28, an official statement said on Monday. "As part of the auction process, Technical Bids comprising of online and offline bid documents will be opened on June 28, 2023, 10:00 am onwards at New Delhi, in the presence of the bidders," the Ministry of Coal said in a statement. The last date for submission of online technical bids for all the coal mines is 1200 hours on June 27, 2023, and offline submission is 1600 hours on June 27, 2023, it said. On March 29, the government on Wednesday launched the seventh round of commercial coal auctions in a bid to increase the availability of dry fuel in the country. A total of 103 coal mines were put on the block in the latest round of auctions. Of the total mines offered, the majority of blocks are partially explored. The government amended the mineral laws to open up the coal sector to provide a level-playing field to the public and private .

Late push to extend coal subsidies upsets EU deal on energy reforms

The proposed reform aims to make power prices more stable and predictable, by putting new state-backed renewables and low-carbon nuclear plants onto fixed-price contracts for difference

Shanghai power plant burns 800 tons of coal an hour to keep city cool

A heat wave is scorching China, killing livestock and straining electricity grids across the country. Temperatures in Beijing soared to as high as 39C (102F) on Thursday

Power Min asks imported coal-based plants to run full capacity till Sept 30

The Ministry of Power on Monday extended the time period of its direction to all thermal plants using imported coal to operate at full capacity by three-and-a-half months till September 30 to avoid electricity shortage amid rising demand in the country. Peak power demand met or the highest supply in a day touched a record high of 223.23 GW on June 9, 2023. A power ministry notice shot off on Monday to 15 imported coal-based thermal power projects, stated: "It has now been decided to extend the time period for Section 11 to imported coal-based generators up to September 30, 2023." Earlier in February, the ministry asked these imported coal based plants to operate at full capacity from March 16, 2023, to June 15, 2023, invoking Section 11 of the Electricity Act 2003 to avoid any outage due to a sudden rise in power demand. Peak power demand was estimated to touch a record high of 229GW during this summer. However, unseasonal rains affected the demand as people used fewer cooling ...

SECL in expansion mode, to make Gevra world's largest coal mine, says CMD

South Eastern Coalfields Ltd (SECL) is aiming to scale up the capacity of its Gevra mine to 70 MTPA to make it the world's largest coal producing site by the end of ongoing fiscal, company's CMD Prem Sagar Mishra said. Located at Korba, about 193 kilometer from Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, SECL's Gevra mine is the world's fourth largest coal mine at present, the official told PTI in an interview at Bilaspur. While two of the largest coal mines are in the US, one is in Indonesia, Mishra said adding "we are in expansion mode of our Gevra mine to 70 million tonne per annum (MTPA) to make it the world's single largest coal producing site." In financial year 2022-23, the mine produced 52.5 MT of coal which was above its target for the year, the Chairman-cum-Managing Director said. When asked about the timeline for achieving the 70 MTPA target, the CMD replied "we aim to achieve it by the end of the current fiscal year. We are waiting for the environmental clearances which we exp