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Call for elderly coal price help
The States must do more to help the elderly to cope with coal price rises during winter, Guernsey's housing minister says....
2008-10-07 04:15:15
Families start Coal House lives
Three families start filming a second series of a reality TV show, living as mining families in World War II....
2008-10-06 05:26:21
Eight foreign firms among 17 bidding for coal exploration
BUS9Business/Energy/NationalEight foreign firms among 17 bidding for coal explorationKolkata, Oct 5 IANS Leading coal miner Coal India Ltd CIL has received bids from 17 companies - both national and international - for extracting coal from 18 abandoned underground mines belonging to three of its subsidiaries."We have received bids from 17 companies, eight of which are from overseas," a source close to the development told IANS.The bidders are Xindia Steels, Walter Southeast Asia, Afcon Infrastructure, Essel Mining and Industries, Sunflag Iron and Steel, Anglo American Services India, Indo-Australia Mining, Reliance Infrastructure, Zhengzhou Coal Mining Machineries, Essar Mineral Resources, Electrosteel Castings, Sainik Mining and Allied Services, Tiandi Science and Technology, Future Metals, European Ventures, Rio Tinto India and Bucyrus DBT Europe GmbH."The proposals are now being evaluated by the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute CMPDI," the official said.CMPDI, a subsidiary of CIL, is one of India's largest consultancy firms in the field of exploration, mine planning and environment management.CIL had floated a global expression of interest EoI in May, inviting bids for underground mining jointly with the CIL or its subsidiaries. The private players enter into the joint ventures would have access to only 50 percent of the total production.According to the global EoI notice, these 18 abandoned mines have an approximate reserve of 1.64 billion tonnes of coal.Underground mining would be revived in six abandoned mines of Eastern Coalfields, eight mines of Bharat Coking Coal, and four mines of Central Coalfields, all subsidiaries of CIL.Bidders can express interest for more than one mine.For each mine, only one party would be finally selected after screening EoIs followed by bidding. In case of a single party being selected for more than one mine, all such mines would come under a single joint venture company to be formed between CIL and the selected company.The joint venture will be managed by an independent board, in which both sides will have an equal number of directors.Bidders are also required to have at least 10 years experience in economically operating underground coal mines in "difficult working conditions".They must have re-opened, salvaged and successfully operated at least one underground coal mine or part of the mine, abandoned for reasons of safety, and must have experience in dealing with underground coal fires.Earlier, ArcelorMittal - headed by steel tycoon L.N. Mittal - and the Ispat group - headed by Mittal's brothers Pramod and Vinod - had expressed interest to tie up with CIL through the nomination route.CIL has seven coal producing subsidiaries and one mine planning and design institute. The company has identified 120 projects from which it plans to yield 292 million tonnes of coal during the ongoing 11th plan.--Indo-Asian News Serviceag/ssp/sj/ank/dg488 Words*05101521
2008-10-05 07:04:07
China searches for energy security
ECO1Economy/EconomyChina searches for energy securityBy Yang JianxiangBeijing, Oct 5 Xinhua It was a mid-May night, and trucks queued up at a gas station by the East 5th Ring Road of Beijing. The line was long, blocking a lane of the main road.At the station, the oil pipe nozzles were dry - the stock of diesel had run out and the fresh supplies would not come until after midnight. But when new consignment came, it was far less than adequate. Most vehicles would be partly filled and some would wait in vain.The situation had a direct link with soaring oil prices on the international market. To the country's decision makers, it was a harsh reminder of a vital issue - energy security.Though the aggregate figure looks quite impressive, China is poor in energy resource reserves on per capita calculation. Proven reserves of fossil fuels have increased in recent years, but this cannot change the overall picture.Production of energy fell behind growing demand due to a rapid development of the economy, the quickening pace of urbanization and the rising living standard.The country's coal reserves ranked third globally. Production accounted for about 40 percent of world output in 2007. Given the current rate of exploitation, the reserves would be exhausted in a little over 80 years. The comparatively small reserves of oil and gas would dwindle even faster, in 15 years and 30 years respectively.The government announced an energy strategy that lay emphasis on conservation to optimize consumption. It relies on domestic production and seeks diversified sources to secure supply and to develop new and renewable energies as alternatives for the future."We will strive to establish a steady, economic and clean energy supply system," Zhang Guobao, minister in charge of the energy sector of the National Development and Reform Commission NDRC, said at an international conference in January.It might be necessary for China to maintain fast economic growth, but energy consumption may grow at a slower pace if a good job is done in conservation. The country's unit gross domestic product GDP energy consumption was three to eight times as much as those in the United States and Japan.Adjusting the demand of industries is one way to reduce energy consumption intensity. A government announcement made Oct 11, 2007 terminated preferential power rates for high energy consuming industries such as electrolytic aluminium, alloy and chloro-alkaline enterprises.Tightening management and upgrading technology also help reduce the energy consumption of suppliers as well as consumers. For example, thermal plants were required to adopt highly efficient new technologies for coal burning power generation.By the end of 2010 China has set a target of cutting down energy consumption per 10,000 yuan $1,460 of GDP by 20 percent, from 1.22 tons of coal equivalent TCE in 2005 to 0.98 TCE. That means an annual average of 4 percent.Last year, while the overall reduction rate of 3.66 percent still fell short of expectations, more than two-thirds of the provinces met the annual goal. This was in sharp contrast to the first year when only Beijing managed to do so.NDRC Energy Institute director Zhou Dadi said, efforts by some provincial governments and companies were inadequate.The government has acknowledged the importance of clean and renewable energy. China has abundant resources in hydropower and wind, solar, biofuel, geothermal and tidal energy. Renewable energy and nuclear power accounted for 7.5 percent of total energy consumption last year. The State Renewable Energy Medium- and Long-term Planning SREMLP aimed at raising the renewable share to 10 percent in 2010 and 15 percent in 2020.The latest statistics available show the country's nuclear power capacity totalled 9,100 mw, with 11 reactors in operation. By 2020, the State Nuclear Power Development Plan aims at a total installation of 40,000 mw, which would account for 4 percent of the nation's total power capacity. Compared with the world average of 14.8 percent and close to 80 percent in some leading countries, there was much room for China's nuclear power development.--Xinhuadkg/jg 730 Words05101051
2008-10-05 01:05:08
Australia has moral obligation to help India
Melbourne, Oct 3 ANI: The Indo-US civil nuke deal and New Delhi's agreement with France, herald a new de facto non-proliferation framework that will have profound implications for Australia's policies on climate change and the exporting of uranium.Neville Roach, chairman emeritus of the Australia-India Business Council, said: "No country faces a harder task of responding to climate change than India and Australia with world's largest carbon footprint has a moral obligation to make it easier, rather than more difficult, for India to generate energy in the least polluting way.""India will have to implement every carbon-efficient energy solution available, including solar, wind, biofuels, natural and coal seam gas and the solution strongly advocated by Australia, clean coal," The quoted Roach, as saying. However, the most effective and immediately available solution is unquestionably nuclear power, which produces zero carbon emissions, he added.Roach pointed that to expand its nuclear power production substantially, India needs secure access to the latest technology as well as uranium ore. "As the suppliers group decision does not require India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Australian Government will need to review its longstanding policy to export uranium only to NPT signatories. This will have profound implications for Australia's relations with India and the world's response to climate change," he said.He recommended the Prime Minister's 2020 summit was to engage more actively with Australia's four major regional economies - the US, Japan, China and India. "The recommendation reflects India's growing importance regionally and globally. Australia is one of the biggest beneficiaries of India's rapid economic growth and is a major source of skilled migrants, overseas students and tourists," roach said.He said without nuclear power, India cannot meet its energy needs as it strives to lift hundreds of millions of its people out of poverty. "The good news is that the more India relies on nuclear power, the greater its ability to minimise carbon emissions. Australia will be seen as a true and reliable friend if it helps India in its hour of need," Roach said. ANI
2008-10-03 23:00:00
Kohinoor Steel employees attacked in Jharkhand
NAT13National/Business/CrimeKohinoor Steel employees attacked in JharkhandRanchi, Oct 3 IANS Kohinoor Steel Friday filed a police complaint against unidentified villagers for allegedly attacking its employees and vandalising its plant in Seraikela-Kharsawan district of Jharkhand, company officials said.Villagers allegedly attacked company officials Wednesday night since the road leading to the area, which falls under Chandil police station, about 190 km from here, was blocked by about 60 trucks carrying coal to the steel plant.Company officials claimed the villagers beat up five employees and three security guards, and forced the officials to stop production for nearly three hours."We have lodged a first information report FIR against unknown villagers. We are unable to understand why our steel plant was targeted," Vijay Bodra, managing director of Kohinoor Steel, told IANS over telephone from Kolkata.Lakshman Prasad Singh, superintendent of police of Seraikela-Kharsawan district, said: "We have started investigation in the incident. Suitable action will take against the culprits." This is second time that employees of the Kohinoor Steel plant have been attacked. In July 2007, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha JMM workers vanadalised the plant and forced the company to shut down for a few days. "We sought security from the state government six months ago and till now no security has been provided to us," Bodra said. Kohinoor steel is one the few companies which started production in the state without getting iron ore lease. At present, Kohinoor steel produces 400 tonne of sponge iron and 405 tonne steel everyday. The company has already invested around Rs.2.5 billion in the state and plans to increase the production up to 2,000 tonne steel everyday. --Indo-Asian News Servicens/sh/jg299 Words03101350
2008-10-03 04:04:11
JSPL inks JV with group companies for coal-to-oil project
Jindal Steel & Power Ltd has floated a joint venture company with three other Jindal group companies to implement its proposed project for synthesising oil and gas from coal. ...
2008-10-02 15:13:07
Basic cost of a bag of coal rises
The price of a bag of coal rises by about 20%, leading supermarkets to import from the UK....
2008-10-01 05:00:00
Coal Mining Risks & Rewards
On Monday, August 6, 2007, a tunnel collapsed in one of central Utah's coal mines, trapping six miners. ...
2008-10-01 05:00:37
Canada: Railway Acquisition Approved - New York Times
Canada: Railway Acquisition ApprovedNew York Times&ampnbsp;- 3 hours agoBy REUTERS Regulators in the United States gave the Canadian Pacific Railway approval to take control of the Dakota, Minneso...
2008-10-01 05:00:00