Follow us on twitter!News Flash 13th January 2012
Global Technology Forum
Coal to liquids: getting greener?
Coal to liquids (CTL) is expected to grow over the coming decades, with implications for refiners, given that such projects can produce finished fuels as opposed to synthetic crude, through indirect liquefaction, which involves first converting the coal to syngas and then converting to fuel through the use of the Fischer-Tropsch process. Read More.....
Kentucky Kernal
Modern coal mining is essential for the future
Sources of energy such as geothermal, solar, hydroelectric and wind have a growing place in the future of energy, as well as nuclear power, though they cannot completely replace fossil fuels.
According to the International Energy Agency, the world demand for coal is only going to grow in the next 20 years; some say it may even double.
The future of energy includes coal; there is no question about that. Rather than block new coal- fired power plants completely, the government and the EPA should embrace these new plants. Read More.....
Power Engineering
Global Investment in Biomass Power Generation will Total $104 Billion Through 2021, According to Pike Research
Later this month, the world's largest biomass-fueled power plant will come online in the United Kingdom, generating an estimated 750 megawatts (MW) of base load renewable power. The Tilbury, England facility represents a significant step forward for the biomass power generation sector, which is expected to expand rapidly in the coming decade. Read More.....
Mining.Com
Protest in Mozambique blocks coal train line
AFP reports about 500 protesters blocked a coal train line in Mozambique in a dispute with Vale over housing. Vale in November approved a $6 billion expansion of Moatize to lift output to 22 million tonnes per year from the 11 million tonnes it expects to mine initially. First production from the expanded mine is forecast for the second half of 2014. Read More.....
Wall Street Journal
Masdar Deploys C3 Energy Management Software to Track Renewable Energy Production Assets, Energy-Efficient Buildings and Carbon Portfolio
"Improving energy efficiency is a critical step in optimizing operations, reducing demand and lowering waste," said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, CEO of Masdar. "C3 delivers a cutting-edge, energy and emissions management solution that will further our goal of producing renewable energy, developing a world-class sustainable urban development and implementing carbon reduction projects globally. Read More.....
Platts
Russia's Mechel completes rail link to huge coking coal deposit
Russian steel and mining company Mechel has completed the 321 km rail track linking its Elga coking coal mine, which sits one of the world's largest coking coal deposits, to the main Siberian rail network, the company said in a statement late Wednesday. "The launch of direct railway access to Elga Coal Complex will in 2012 significantly facilitate delivery of material necessary to increase production at Elga," Mechel Chairman Igor Zyuzin said. Read More.....
Intellasia.net
Burma cancels coal plant after opposition: official
Myanmar cancelled a proposed coal-fired power plant at a Thai-led industrial site Monday citing "environmental problems", an energy official said, in the latest sign of burgeoning reform. Electricity minister Khin Maung Soe said the decision not to allow the power plant, part of the huge Dawei Development Project, was made after "listening to the people's voice", a senior official at the Yangon city electricity supply board told AFP. Read More.....
Mining Weekly
Exxaro faces strike at Arnot coal mine
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) said on Wednesday that about 1 000 of its members would down tools at diversified miner Exxaro’s Arnot coal mine near Witbank on Friday. This follows the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration issuing a certificate of nonresolution regarding a dispute over conditions of employment. “When Eyesizwe and Kumba merged to form Exxaro, which took over Arnot as one of its operations, Eyesizwe had a long-service award that Exxaro promised it would not tamper with. Read More.....
The Economist
The EU annoys airlines, energy companies and Canada
AS OF January 1st, American, Chinese and all the world’s airlines are being billed for the carbon emissions of their flights into and out of the European Union. About time, too: airlines contribute 2-3% of global emissions, yet they were hitherto free to pollute. The European initiative, which brings airlines into the EU’s existing cap-and-trade regime, the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), is a modest corrective.
The hope is that it will speed the creation of a long-promised, more ambitious successor, governing all the world’s airspace. ……..To meet the EU’s target—a 6% reduction in carbon intensity by 2020—filthier-than-average sorts of fuel, such as diesel derived from coal or petrol from shale oil or Canadian tar sands, would need mixing with cleaner sorts, like biofuels. Read More......
Business Day
Transnet on track for new Swaziland rail link
Transnet, the state-owned freight and logistics group, and Swaziland Railway will together build a new 146km rail link between Lothair in Mpumalanga and Sidvokodvo in Swaziland in an effort to help South Africa export more coal. Read More.....
Financial Times
Eskom: avoiding black-outs
All customers, big and small, were requested to switch off all non-essential electrical equipment, including air-conditioning, geysers and swimming pool pumps, during the evening peak hours to ensure Eskom can keep the lights on.
It’s summer in South Africa, traditionally maintenance time for the electricity company, and with firms slowly ticking back into life after the festive break, Eskom is once again feeling the pressure as it struggles with limited electricity supply. The warnings are very real, as South Africans who endured rolling blackouts that cost the country billions of dollars in January 2008 will testify. Read More......
