Thar coal deposits could meet country’s energy needs: SCA
Saturday, April 14, 2007

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: The Sindh Coal Authority has claimed that Thar coal deposits are sufficient to meet fuel requirements of the country for centuries and could generate about 100,000 MW of electricity. Only 200 million tones Thar coal (lignite) can produce 1000 MW electricity power up to 40 years in the country.

To develop these coal reserves the authority has pointed out that investors interested in undertaking coal power projects are reluctant due to inappropriate tariff. To achieve the objective of development of indigenous resources the government should determine upfront tariff for coal based power projects to be based on previous studies conducted by international organizations.

The authority has also proposed the government to form a consortium of public and private sector organization to develop a coal mine of required capacity, meanwhile to convince the investors for power generation on Thar coal. According to a research paper on “meeting the energy needs of the country” prepared by the authority and available with Daily Times reveals that in Pakistan, share of coal in energy mix during decades declined from 68% to 35% and 5% in 2002. It happened due to the reasons that natural gas and cheaper oil was available for industrial use and power generation in the country.

Presently the scenario has changed, gas reserves of the country are depleting and continue to deplete and it has other important uses, such as fertilizer and other. Oil reserves of the country are limited with high cost of production, which is increasing day by day and would continue to increase in foreign exchange with uncertain conditions.

Thar coalfield is spread over an area of 9000 sq kilometer, which consists over 175 billion tones with proved coal reserves over 12 billion tones of six delineated blocks over an area of 500 kilo meters.

Necessary infrastructure to support accessibility and availability of coal (lignite) is available, which includes road, transport, communication, water and energy utilities. Indigenous resources are free from uncertainties of fuel supply and associated danger of dictation of oil prices by oil suppliers. Coal drive much of current global economic development and providing 23% of global primary energy needs and generates about 39% of the world energy.

Global primary coal consumption would rise at an average annual rate of 1.4% up to 2030. In all regions, coal use would become increasingly concentrated in power generation, which would account for almost 90% of the increase in demand during 2000 to 2030, according to World Energy Outlook 2002. Coal can play an integral role in the economic development of many countries and in addressing sustainable development in the filed of economic, social and environment. Pakistan coals are mostly lignite and Thar coal (lignite) with proved reserves of 12 billion tones has over burden ratio 5 to 7, which can be economically mined. Clean coal technology is available, which has made possible to use lignite with zero emission.

Thar Coalfield: Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP), discovered huge deposits of coals in 1992 at Thar during the research program assisted by United States Geological Survey (USGS). Spread over an area of more than 9000 square kilometers with dimensions of 140 kilometer north-south and 65 kilometer in the east-west possess 175.506 billion tones of coal. Coal mining cost suggested by coal feasibility studies conducted in 1994 at Thar by John T. Boyd of United States revealed that in case annual production comes to 2.5 million tones estimated realization cost would be $88 per ton. Incase the annual production comes to 3.5 million tones the estimated realization cost to be $68.50 per ton and if the production level comes to 7 million tones annually the estimated cost would come down to $40.60 per tone.

Another study done by RWE of Germany in the year 2003 highlighted that 6 million tones annual production with shovel trucks the estimated realization cost to be $36.50 per ton and electricity generation value to be 6.9 cents per KW/h. Same production level is achieved with bucket wheal excavator the estimated realization cost to be $42.50 per ton with specific value US Cents 7.18 KW/h.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?p...14-4-2007_pg5_2

this is excelent!

Good news but coal power is going to really ###### up the environment. We need to work on technologies that reduce the negative impact that coal plants have on the environment.

This is old news the important thing is how we gonna use this coal?

well, we can use it to fuel coal-powered power plants. China is doing the same too. Since they have huge reserves of coal, coal-pwoerd elcetric plants are popping up in china every day. Perhaps, this will fill the dire shortage of electricty we have.

Aoa



Seems like exellent news.


Could some put this into perspective. I mean what does it actually translate into. How much is it compared to other major coal producers or other known reserves of countries.


w/salaam

Pakistan in terms of coal reserves are in 2nd position after USA i think. But they are just reserves because at the end of the day we still import coal.

Aoa





:S


Why? If we have the second largest reserves do we import? Is it because it needs large investment OR is it because the quality isn't good enough?


w/salaam

The problem isn't quality but pathetic policies of past governments. Only this Gov is doing something to use huge coal reserves.

The coal reserves are of low grade. Appropriate studies are being carried on building plants that will run on our low grade coal. so far, nothing. Hopefully a breakthrough soon.

the electricity benefits outweigh pollution concerns. We can also do clean coal.

Contrary to what most of us think, coal energy can be made to be clean. That is not to toxicate the environment in a big way.

Clean coal technology is being used in some countries like Germany and I don't see why pakistan cannot access that tech....after all clean coal tech means cleaner planet!!

Clean Coal Tech does not work for every quality of Coal... It needs a high quality coal ... and also technology has to be changed accroding to chemical composition of coal... So u cant use the same technology that being used by Germany & some other EU countries. It has to be fine tuned to pakistani coal


But in any case, its a gud news as reserves are really pretty huge, just pakistan has to figure out how to use these...

Pakistan can research and implement coal sequestration technologies in order to minimize the environmental effects.

I am not sure which countries have done research into this....not my area. But I'm sure pakistan can approach them and show that you don't have to be developed and rich to take concern for the environment.

The problem with the investors is that there is no infra structure as yet available for commercial production of such mega coal projects, also the fact that local Wadera's or rather area Nazims are illegally extractly coal and selling in the local market for local consumption.

Hence, up to now the govt. has not been able to sell the idea to foreign investors, however, just earlier they were trying to create a semi govt. type corproation for the development of our coal reservers.

I for one believe in alternative energy source and I hope that this means of power, which has minted profit for the cement factories ; all thanks to this govts. allowance of duty free import of converters for 3 years starting from Gen. Musharaff's take over.

Lignite which is also referred to as brown coal, is the lowest rank of coal and used almost exclusively as fuel for steam-electric power generation. Jet is a compact form of lignite that is sometimes polished and has been used as an ornamental stone since the Iron Age.

Potential uses of clean coal

It is believed that some process similar to the natural gas fuel cell or microbial fuel cell (charged from biomass or sewage) may be practical using coal as fuel. These technologies are used mostly for stationary fuel cells as charging is slow. A large power plant in a coal mine might be the most energy efficient approach and require the least transport of coal to the users and the return of the coal chute and the use in homes may be possible in some places. Especially if home sewage or natural gas lines can be tapped as well by an improved fuel reformer technology such as that used already to convert methanol or gasoline to the natural gas form.

Indeed , efficient and environmental friendly usage of natural resources is possible . we just need to have the will and knowledge.

In any case , i want to see the day when Pakistan will not be dependant on foreigners to develop our natural resources.

Coal also can be used to produce synthetic oil fuel through Coal Liquefaction but it won't be cheap.



http://www.cogeneration.net/Coal_Liquefaction.htm

nice cheap energy

There is another thread on PDF about coal mines in Baluchistan, that is the second biggest deposits in world and have started production since last few months, providing direct employment to 5,500 people and would expand by end of this year to 10,000 Baluchs.

Government is also setting up coal fired power plans to meet immidiate energy needs, so they are taking out coal from places which can be used for present projects.

There is nothing about quality of new discovery so it will premature to say anything.

I think If they should open the mine instead then people will use by themselves to make electricity

Quaid-e-Azam had already said Pakistan has many many resources in all its areas.

i thought we were in advance stages in using the reserve for the purpose. have we still not done any feasibility on the construction of the plant for generating power