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China's first direct coal liquefaction line produces 866,000 tonnes

China’s first direct coal-to-oil project, operated by the country’s leading coal producer, Shenhua Group, produced 866,000 tonnes of oil products last year. The direct coal liquefaction line is located in Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos City in northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It produces 3,000 tonnes of oil products with consumption of nearly 10,000 tonnes of coal per day, said Shenhua Coal Liquefaction and Chemical Co., Ltd. With an investment of 12.6 billion yuan (2.06 billion U.S. dollars), Shenhua Group began construction of the project in 2004, using self-developed technologies. The project began trial production at the end of 2009 with a designed annual capacity of 1.08 million tonnes of diesel, naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas. Proven coal reserves around Ordos are estimated at 160 billion tonnes, or 11.4 percent of the country’s total coal reserves. As part of its clean energy strategy, China has […]

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US coal’s new focus on exporting leaves a cloud of dust over Louisiana

The domestic demand for U.S. coal has fallen in recent years as the use of other energy sources such as natural gas has grown. This, combined with tighter environmental rules , means that coal companies are starting to export their product like never before: From 2002 to 2012, coal exports from the United States more than tripled, to 127 million tons, according to the International Energy Agency. The U.S. government estimates that about 25 percent of that went to Asia. But coal companies haven’t captured enough of the international market, and haven’t built enough terminals, to make up for the sagging domestic demand — U.S. coal production has fallen by about 15 percent from its peak of about 1 billion tons in 2008. With Asia’s economy growing, coal companies see the Pacific Northwest as the best location for coal terminals. But a groundswell of environmental activism in Washington and Oregon has so far […]

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Poland’s PGE OKs $3.78 billion expansion of Opole coal-fired plant

Construction will begin next month on 1,800 megawatts of new coal-fired generating capacity at Poland’s Opole Power Plant, owner PGE announced this week. A statement released Thursday by the state-owned power producer said its management board had approved a program of internal financing to build two 900-megawatt generators in a $3.78 billion expansion of the Opole plant, to be designed by the French multinational Alstom. The move came two months after PGE’s former chief executive, Krzysztof Kilian, quit his job heading Poland’s biggest utility amid reports the company was being politically pressured to proceed with the expansion despite rejecting it in April as unprofitable. Now led by Marek Woszczyk, the company now says the financing will allow construction to begin as scheduled Feb. 1, with the first unit to be completed in 4 1/2 years and the second less than year later. In […]

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Poland's PGE OKs $3.78 billion expansion of Opole coal-fired plant

Construction will begin next month on 1,800 megawatts of new coal-fired generating capacity at Poland’s Opole Power Plant, owner PGE announced this week. A statement released Thursday by the state-owned power producer said its management board had approved a program of internal financing to build two 900-megawatt generators in a $3.78 billion expansion of the Opole plant, to be designed by the French multinational Alstom. The move came two months after PGE’s former chief executive, Krzysztof Kilian, quit his job heading Poland’s biggest utility amid reports the company was being politically pressured to proceed with the expansion despite rejecting it in April as unprofitable. Now led by Marek Woszczyk, the company now says the financing will allow construction to begin as scheduled Feb. 1, with the first unit to be completed in 4 1/2 years and the second less than year later. In […]

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India’s Dec coal imports fall 4% on month to 12.2 mil mt: Interocean

India’s coal imports via major ports across the country dropped 4% month on month in December, to around 12.2 million mt, data released late Tuesday by Indian ship broker Interocean showed. In November, imports totaled 12.7 million mt. Of the total imports in December, 2.6 million mt was coking coal, up 53% from 1.7 million mt in the previous month, while steam coal comprised 9.6 million mt, down 13% from 11 million mt in November, the data showed. Mundra port on India’s west coast received the largest quantity of coal shipments in December, at 2 million mt, down 17% from 2.4 million mt in November. Article continues below… Request a free trial of: Coal Trader International International Coal Report Platts Coal Trader International is the only daily publication where you can access Platts proprietary price assessments for coal trading in the Atlantic and […]

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India's Dec coal imports fall 4% on month to 12.2 mil mt: Interocean

India’s coal imports via major ports across the country dropped 4% month on month in December, to around 12.2 million mt, data released late Tuesday by Indian ship broker Interocean showed. In November, imports totaled 12.7 million mt. Of the total imports in December, 2.6 million mt was coking coal, up 53% from 1.7 million mt in the previous month, while steam coal comprised 9.6 million mt, down 13% from 11 million mt in November, the data showed. Mundra port on India’s west coast received the largest quantity of coal shipments in December, at 2 million mt, down 17% from 2.4 million mt in November. Article continues below… Request a free trial of: Coal Trader International International Coal Report Platts Coal Trader International is the only daily publication where you can access Platts proprietary price assessments for coal trading in the Atlantic and […]

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Coal surge sullies Germany’s clean energy image

The share of electricity generated from coal rose in Germany last year as the country seeks to achieve its ambitious aim of switching off all nuclear power plants by 2022. Industry figures published Tuesday show that bituminous coal and lignite together contributed 45.5 percent of Germany’s gross energy output in 2013, up from 44 percent the previous year. Environmentalists criticize the increasing use of coal, saying it is a "dirty" source because of the large amount of carbon dioxide released when it is burned. Heavily subsidized renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydropower also increased their contribution to 23.4 percent, up from 22.8 percent in 2012. The share of nuclear power dropped to 15.4 percent from 15.8 percent. © 2014 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy […]

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Coal surge sullies Germany's clean energy image

The share of electricity generated from coal rose in Germany last year as the country seeks to achieve its ambitious aim of switching off all nuclear power plants by 2022. Industry figures published Tuesday show that bituminous coal and lignite together contributed 45.5 percent of Germany’s gross energy output in 2013, up from 44 percent the previous year. Environmentalists criticize the increasing use of coal, saying it is a "dirty" source because of the large amount of carbon dioxide released when it is burned. Heavily subsidized renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydropower also increased their contribution to 23.4 percent, up from 22.8 percent in 2012. The share of nuclear power dropped to 15.4 percent from 15.8 percent. © 2014 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy […]

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Falling Chinese domestic thermal coal prices pose risk for imports

Chinese domestic thermal coal prices have fallen further, fuelling speculation that some power utilities might be looking to walk away from existing contracts for imported material, sources said Monday. "I have heard rumours maybe that some power plants in China are renegotiating or defaulting on some shipments. But that is just a rumour," a Singapore-based source said. "If I had sold February arrivals [cargoes of 5,500 kcal/kg NAR imported coal] above $84/mt, I would be slightly panicking as I think the Chinese expect levels to get back down to about $79-80/mt CFR south China or maybe lower," he added. Late last week, a Singapore-based trader said falling domestic prices could lead to some possible defaults by Chinese imported thermal coal buyers on existing contracts in the coming weeks. Capesize cargoes of 5,500 kcal/kg NAR Australian coal were heard being offered at around Yuan 620/mt […]

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Zhengzhou Coal Chairman Steps Down Amid Corruption Probe

State-owned Zhengzhou Coal Industry Group Co. Chairman Meng Zhongze has resigned after becoming the target of a corruption investigation. He is the latest senior official to find himself in the cross hairs of a crackdown on corruption in China. The government has launched a series of corruption investigations across the country’s energy and resources sector this year, targeting senior officials at China National Petroleum Corp. and Yunnan Tin Co. 000960.SZ +0.27% Yunnan Tin Co. Ltd. A China: Shenzhen ¥ 11.05 +0.03 +0.27% Dec. 24, 2013 3:01 pm Volume : 1.84M P/E Ratio N/A Market Cap ¥12.80 Billion Dividend Yield 1.18% Rev. per Employee ¥1,379,850 10/09/13 Goldman Sachs Pops Up in China… 10/08/13 Bribery Charge Leveled at Chin… More quote details and news » 000960.SZ in Your Value Your Change Short position , among others. Zhengzhou Coal’s listed unit, Zhengzhou Coal Industry and Electric Power Co., said in a statement […]

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Great Lakes coal traffic down 7.3% in November from a year ago

November coal traffic on the Great Lakes totaled 2,675,065 short tons, down 4.1% from October and down 7.3% from a year ago, according to data from the Lake Carriers’ Association. Year-to-date coal shipments on the lakes total 22.4 million st, down 2.7% compared with last year. The Cleveland-based association does not comment on its monthly coal figures, released Thursday. The largest terminal on the lake, the Midwest Energy Terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, shipped 1,556,945 st in November, down 4.9% from the prior month and down 6.5% from a year ago. Europe-bound exports from the terminal totaled 129,000 st in November, up 5.7% from October. Year-ago comparisons were not immediately available. Year-to-date coal exports from Superior total 1,504,000 st, up 20.1% from the same period last year, according to the association. Thunder Bay Terminals, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, shipped 33,382 st in November, down 33.1% […]

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Can Coal Feed The Global Energy Appetite In A Healthy Way?

No other fuel source has been tarred more than coal. Yet, no other product has done more to electrify the global population and to bring prosperity to so many. The question the world now faces is whether to up the stakes in relatively cheap coal or whether to make investments in and to depend on sustainable fuels. That’s the proposition that the International Energy Agency’s Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven put forth as she unveiled the agency’s Medium-Term Coal Market Report for 2013 . Her conclusion is that while burning coal is responsible for a third of the carbon dioxide releases, the fuel will remain integral to the world economy. Therefore, the emphasis should be on improving the technology — at least until the greener energies can take root and grow. She focuses on China, which creates the world’s most carbon dioxide emissions . Next Next comes the […]

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Global coal demand out to 2018 set to slow, says IEA

China will continue to drive global coal demand over the next five years, although growth is likely to slow amid uncertainties such as the country’s increasing adoption of cleaner technologies and implementation of coal consumption cuts in some regions, the International Energy Agency said Monday. The agency cut its average annual coal demand growth forecast for the 2013-2018 period to 2.3% from 2.6%, also citing increased competition from cheaper gas in the US. However, coal once again displayed the largest demand growth of all fossil fuels — including natural gas and oil — in 2012, at 7.697 billion mt, up 170 million mt on 2011. Launching its annual Medium-term Coal Market Report, IEA executive director Maria van der Hoeven said that in 2012, coal consumption in the world’s two largest markets, China and the US, was "abnormally weak." Article continues below… Request a free […]

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Australian coal projects at risk of being 'stranded'

Australian coal projects are in danger of becoming "stranded," a new report by the University of Oxford warns. The report says Australia has proposals for 89 coal mines which could more than double annual output from about 430 million tons in 2011 to about 980 million tons by 2020. China is seen as a key export market for those projects. But the report, commissioned by HSBC’s Climate Change Center of Excellence, points to the changing nature of China’s outlook for coal and the impacts on resource-rich Australia, currently the world’s largest exporter of coal to China. "China’s demand for coal is changing as a result of environment-related factors, including environmental regulation, developments in cleaner technologies, air pollution, improving energy efficiency, developments in gas markets and political activism," Ben Caldecott, co-author of the report was quoted as saying by Business Green. "This could lead […]

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Australian coal projects at risk of being ‘stranded’

Australian coal projects are in danger of becoming "stranded," a new report by the University of Oxford warns. The report says Australia has proposals for 89 coal mines which could more than double annual output from about 430 million tons in 2011 to about 980 million tons by 2020. China is seen as a key export market for those projects. But the report, commissioned by HSBC’s Climate Change Center of Excellence, points to the changing nature of China’s outlook for coal and the impacts on resource-rich Australia, currently the world’s largest exporter of coal to China. "China’s demand for coal is changing as a result of environment-related factors, including environmental regulation, developments in cleaner technologies, air pollution, improving energy efficiency, developments in gas markets and political activism," Ben Caldecott, co-author of the report was quoted as saying by Business Green. "This could lead […]

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Lured by cheap coal, Southeast Asia turns away from gas

Southeast Asian power generation capacity to rise 50 pct this decade * More than half of new Southeast Asian capacity to be coal-fired * LNG-fired power twice as expensive as coal-fired power in Asia Southeast Asia’s power sector will tilt away from gas to use more coal by the end of this decade, chipping away at demand for liquefied natural gas as the region of more than 600 million people tries to cut costs to meet soaring electricity needs. With a wave of LNG projects due to come online this decade, this shift in consumption from a region long expected to be a key growth market could help take some of the heat out of rising Asian prices of the cleaner fuel. Gas prices in Asia are about five times more expensive than in the United States, driven by demand for LNG […]

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Why Uranium & Coal Rank High For Energy Return On Energy Invested

Not all energy options are equally good, says Thomas Drolet, principal of Drolet & Associates Energy Services Inc. Using an “Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI)” calculation to decide which energy sources yield the most for the least energy investment, Drolet sees hydroelectricity, natural gas, uranium and coal at the top of the list. Drolet adds that the need for reliable power will keep baseload power fueled by uranium and coal at the center of the world’s electricity systems for many years, but he tips  The Mining Report  to some technologies looking for investment that can help make coal a more environment-friendly fuel. The Mining Report:  Tom, thanks for joining us today. I’d like to start out with the concept of an “Energy Return on Energy Invested cliff,” which is being debated widely these days.” What is it and what does it mean […]

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Why Uranium & Coal Rank High For Energy Return On Energy Invested

Not all energy options are equally good, says Thomas Drolet, principal of Drolet & Associates Energy Services Inc. Using an “Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI)” calculation to decide which energy sources yield the most for the least energy investment, Drolet sees hydroelectricity, natural gas, uranium and coal at the top of the list. Drolet adds that the need for reliable power will keep baseload power fueled by uranium and coal at the center of the world’s electricity systems for many years, but he tips  The Mining Report  to some technologies looking for investment that can help make coal a more environment-friendly fuel. The Mining Report:  Tom, thanks for joining us today. I’d like to start out with the concept of an “Energy Return on Energy Invested cliff,” which is being debated widely these days.” What is it and what does it mean […]

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China Makes Environmental Case for Increasing Big Coal's Clout

China is moving to increase the clout of its state-owned coal giants, as it seeks to clean up a sprawling and heavily polluting industry that is nevertheless crucial to its energy needs. In a policy proposal unveiled Thursday, the State Council, China’s cabinet, said it wants big corporate champions to manage the economic development and environmental consequences of the industry, which also has a slew of smaller operators. The government said it would “encourage the consolidation of coal companies, with large-scale companies as the main body, building large-scale modern coal mines within large-scale coal bases.” Analysts said the proposal also puts the industry more firmly under the control of Beijing. The new measures “protect state-owned enterprises as much as they protect the environment,” said North Square Blue Oak energy analyst Miao Tian. In helping state-owned giants to assert their position in the industry, Beijing may be conceding it can’t […]

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China Makes Environmental Case for Increasing Big Coal’s Clout

China is moving to increase the clout of its state-owned coal giants, as it seeks to clean up a sprawling and heavily polluting industry that is nevertheless crucial to its energy needs. In a policy proposal unveiled Thursday, the State Council, China’s cabinet, said it wants big corporate champions to manage the economic development and environmental consequences of the industry, which also has a slew of smaller operators. The government said it would “encourage the consolidation of coal companies, with large-scale companies as the main body, building large-scale modern coal mines within large-scale coal bases.” Analysts said the proposal also puts the industry more firmly under the control of Beijing. The new measures “protect state-owned enterprises as much as they protect the environment,” said North Square Blue Oak energy analyst Miao Tian. In helping state-owned giants to assert their position in the industry, Beijing may be conceding it can’t […]

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In Appalachia, Coal Struggles to Compete With Natural Gas

Coal has regained a little ground this year as the fuel of choice for U.S. power plants—except in Appalachia, where natural gas for electricity generation has become extremely cheap. So much gas is being pumped from the Marcellus Shale, and so few pipelines serve the area, that a glut has developed in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, driving down the price of electricity and making it hard for coal to compete. Several companies have told regulators they want to close coal plants, and one owned by a private-equity firm has filed for bankruptcy protection. Sunbury Generation LLC plans to close its 60-year-old coal plant in Shimokin Dam, Pa., north of Harrisburg, because the price for electricity it sells on the open market is just too low to cover its costs. “It is difficult to run merchant coal plants in Pennsylvania,” said Dave Meehan, the company’s president. “Even though we’re old, […]

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China to Curb Disorderly Growth of Coal Industry

China plans to accelerate reform of its coal industry, shutting smaller mines to consolidate domestic production and experimenting with tariff levels to encourage higher-quality imports, the State Council said in a draft proposal published Thursday on the central government’s website. Citing falling coal prices and industry losses, China’s equivalent to a cabinet said it aimed to “curb the disorderly growth of coal production.” It said it would stop construction of new coal mines with less than 300,000 metric tons of annual output and gradually eliminate coal mines producing 90,000 tons or less a year. It would continue to shut unsafe coal mines and investigate mines that were illegally built or illegally exceeded approved dimensions. The government will also increase the punishment for those caught flouting the rules, though it said precise punishments would only be announced at a later date. It would also explore differentiating coal […]

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Coal’s Decline Hits Hardest in the Mines of Kentucky

Since he was laid off from his mining job in January, William Hensley’s life has been upended. Days after he lost his position, Mr. Hensley, 50 years old, said he was diagnosed with black lung disease. The bank soon took back his 2012 Chevy Suburban, after he was unable to make the $600 monthly payments. He can no longer afford health insurance and has drawn down all but $5,000 he had in a 401(k) retirement plan to pay for another vehicle and living expenses. Mr. Hensley, who is raising his 12-year-old granddaughter with his wife, went from making $82,000 a year as an underground foreman to collecting about $15,000 in unemployment benefits this year. But that aid is set to run out in December and mining jobs are scarce. “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Mr. Hensley, who has spent 32 years of his life […]

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Coal's Decline Hits Hardest in the Mines of Kentucky

Since he was laid off from his mining job in January, William Hensley’s life has been upended. Days after he lost his position, Mr. Hensley, 50 years old, said he was diagnosed with black lung disease. The bank soon took back his 2012 Chevy Suburban, after he was unable to make the $600 monthly payments. He can no longer afford health insurance and has drawn down all but $5,000 he had in a 401(k) retirement plan to pay for another vehicle and living expenses. Mr. Hensley, who is raising his 12-year-old granddaughter with his wife, went from making $82,000 a year as an underground foreman to collecting about $15,000 in unemployment benefits this year. But that aid is set to run out in December and mining jobs are scarce. “This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Mr. Hensley, who has spent 32 years of his life […]

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China Shenhua Energy’s October coal output up 14.2% year-on-year

Huaihua, Hunan (Platts)–18Nov2013/534 pm EST/2234 GMT China Shenhua Energy Co., the listed subsidiary of Shenhua Group, said at the weekend it mined 27.3 million mt of commercially-ready coal in October, up 14.2% year-on-year. The company sold 46.7 million mt in October, up 14.7% year on year. China Shenhua Energy exported 300,000 mt of coal in October, up from 100,000 mt a year earlier. Over January-October, Shenhua Energy exported 2.2 million mt of coal, down 24.1% year-on-year. The company imported 2.5 million mt of coal in October, up from 0.8 million mt a year earlier. Over January-October, Shenhua Energy imported 9.9 million mt of coal, up 52.3% year-on-year. It did not give a breakdown between thermal coal and coking coal. It has a coking coal mining capacity of around 20 million mt/year, mainly from Shenhua Group subsidiaries Shenhua Wuhai Energy in Inner Mongolia and Shenhua Ningxia Coal Mining Group in […]

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China Shenhua Energy's October coal output up 14.2% year-on-year

Huaihua, Hunan (Platts)–18Nov2013/534 pm EST/2234 GMT China Shenhua Energy Co., the listed subsidiary of Shenhua Group, said at the weekend it mined 27.3 million mt of commercially-ready coal in October, up 14.2% year-on-year. The company sold 46.7 million mt in October, up 14.7% year on year. China Shenhua Energy exported 300,000 mt of coal in October, up from 100,000 mt a year earlier. Over January-October, Shenhua Energy exported 2.2 million mt of coal, down 24.1% year-on-year. The company imported 2.5 million mt of coal in October, up from 0.8 million mt a year earlier. Over January-October, Shenhua Energy imported 9.9 million mt of coal, up 52.3% year-on-year. It did not give a breakdown between thermal coal and coking coal. It has a coking coal mining capacity of around 20 million mt/year, mainly from Shenhua Group subsidiaries Shenhua Wuhai Energy in Inner Mongolia and Shenhua Ningxia Coal Mining Group in […]

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UN climate chief calls on coal industry to change

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The U.N.’s chief climate diplomat has urged the coal industry to diversify to cleaner energy sources and leave most of the world’s remaining coal reserves in the ground. On the sidelines of a U.N. climate conference, Christiana Figueres told CEOs of coal companies meeting Monday at Poland’s Economy Ministry that their industry needs to change radically to curb emissions of heat-trapping gases that scientists say are warming the planet. The coal event is seen as a provocation by climate activists, who climbed the roof of the Economy Ministry and unfurled a banner that read, “Who rules the world? Fossil industries or the people?” Poland generates about 90 percent of its electricity from coal and Economy Minister Janusz Piechocinski said coal must be a part of talks on reducing CO2 emissions. © 2013 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, […]

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Sierra Club official lauds Kentucky for phasing out coal-fired units

WEST PADUCAH, Ky., Nov. 15 (UPI) — Alice Howell, a regional director for the Sierra Club, lauded the planned closing of two coal-fired units at a power plant in western Kentucky. “Kentucky is proving that it can move beyond coal,” she said in a statement Thursday. The Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally owned utility and economic development corporation, is retiring the units at the 50-year-old Paradise power-generating facility, the Sierra Club said. The advocacy group said the plant has 13.6 million tons of emissions every year. The TVA will compensate for the loss of power with a 1,000-megawatt natural gas plant, the Sierra Club said. The New York Times reported Thursday the closings are part of the TVA’s strategy to use less coal as a power source. The closings extend to coal-fired plants in Alabama. The TVA offered no deadline for when the plants’ coal units would shut down. […]

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In Blow to Coal, TVA to Shut 8 Units

The Tennessee Valley Authority will retire eight coal-burning generating stations at three locations in Alabama and Kentucky, a decision that deals another blow to the coal industry, which is shrinking under more stringent environmental regulations and struggling to adjust to changing fuel prices. The TVA’s power-generation overhaul is intended to save the utility money and sharply reduce its coal use. Across the U.S., utilities are shuttering coal-fired power plants, but the trend is hitting the mining industry hardest in the Central Appalachian states of Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia. Coal is costlier there than in other parts of the U.S., and it’s becoming more labor-intensive to extract because mining companies are being forced to tap coal seams deeper in the earth. Forty years ago, the TVA got more than 80% of its power from coal. Today coal accounts for 38%, a number that is dropping fast as a […]

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China’s smog threatens health of global coal projects

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A choking smog across much of northern China threatens not just the health of local residents, but also of major coal projects globally that are still on the drawing board. Beijing’s plans to tackle pollution largely target coal-fired power, which will hit already slowing demand in the world’s top importer of the fuel. With China’s coal demand the primary driver for a slew of mine investments over the past decade, this trend could derail a list of capital intensive coal projects from Australia to Indonesia and Mozambique. Even without the environmental drive, new railways from mines to ports, falling investment in coal-fired generation and slowing power demand growth could see China’s miners export some of their surplus output at competitive prices, hitting regional miners and the viability of new projects. This is a major shift for a country that built an average of two coal-fired power […]

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China's smog threatens health of global coal projects

SHANGHAI (Reuters) – A choking smog across much of northern China threatens not just the health of local residents, but also of major coal projects globally that are still on the drawing board. Beijing’s plans to tackle pollution largely target coal-fired power, which will hit already slowing demand in the world’s top importer of the fuel. With China’s coal demand the primary driver for a slew of mine investments over the past decade, this trend could derail a list of capital intensive coal projects from Australia to Indonesia and Mozambique. Even without the environmental drive, new railways from mines to ports, falling investment in coal-fired generation and slowing power demand growth could see China’s miners export some of their surplus output at competitive prices, hitting regional miners and the viability of new projects. This is a major shift for a country that built an average of two coal-fired power […]

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US coal production rises more than 2% year on year, week on week

Washington (Platts)–14Nov2013/307 pm EST/2007 GMT US coal production totaled about 19.8 million st in the week that ended Saturday, the Energy Information Administration said Thursday. This production estimate, based on railcar loadings, is 2.4% higher than the previous week’s estimate and 2.8% above output in the comparable week in 2012, EIA said. Coal production east of the Mississippi River totaled 8.1 million st while output west of the Mississippi totaled 11.7 million st, it said. Article continues below… Request a free trial of: Coal Trader Coal Outlook Platts Coal Trader provides:The latest prices for key benchmark coals Daily pricing for tons and allowances for SO2 and NOx emissions The exclusive Platts OTC Broker Index, a market assessment compiled from three of the largest and most respected coal brokers What happened in yesterday’s OTC markets, and why An analysis of coal price trends in all major U.S. producing areas Details […]

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Coal Displacing Nat Gas…Already

In January, 2012, the price of nat gas plunged to below $2/mcf due to overproduction by shale operators. Such low prices did, indeed, prompt utilities to switch from coal fired generation to natural gas fired generation if they had the capacity. Industry crowed that this was the shape of things to come with electricity costs plummeting for consumers and heralding the end of “King Coal”. Unfortunately, as with most aspects of unconventional shale production, this proved short lived and oversold. Glaring numbers show another picture altogether. Electricity generation from natural gas began to fade only months after it had gained ground in much the same way that shale gas wells fade only months after initial production. As gas prices moved up to trade between $3.50-4/mcf, utilities promptly began switching back to using coal for generation. According to EIA (Energy Information Administration): “During the first half of 2013…the price of […]

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Poland, Wedded to Coal, Spurns Europe on Clean Energy Targets

BELCHATOW, Poland — They call it Poland’s biggest hole in the ground. The coal mine here is more than eight-and-a-half miles long, nearly two miles wide and as deep in parts as three football fields. Enough coal comes out of it to fuel Europe’s largest coal-fired utility plant, whose chimneys loom in the distance. “The entire world population could fit in this hole,” Tomasz Tarnowski, an administrator here, said in a bit of proud hyperbole as he led a group of reporters on a walk near a towering mound of brown coal about halfway into the mine. Poland is Europe’s coal colossus. More than 88 percent of its electricity comes from coal. Belchatow is one of its huge sources and the largest carbon emitter in Europe. (There’s no “belch” in Belchatow — it is pronounced bel-HOT-oof.) This month, a United Nations conference on climate change will be held in […]

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