Renewed push for coal mine adjoining South African National Park: Almost two years after the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy rejected an application by Manzolwandle Investments for coal mining rights over 18,000 hectares near the Kruger National Park, the company has filed a fresh application. Tenbosch Mining, a subsidiary of Manzolwandle Investments, is seeking a mining permit for over 6500 hectares of land near the park boundary. In a letter to Tenbosch’s environmental consultants, Kimopax, the managing executive of Kruger National Park, Oscar Mthimkhulu, stated that the draft environmental impact assessment on the project does not address potential impacts on the park or even identify the project’s proximity to the park boundary on maps in the report. “It is highly questionable as to whether this omission of the Kruger National Park has been done on purpose,” he wrote. He also noted that South African National Parks only heard about the mining application from other stakeholders. The Kruger National Park attracts almost two million visitors a year. (Daily Maverick)

Vote looms on a proposal from Poland to weaken methane targets: Ember, a UK-based climate policy think tank, has warned that amendments to the draft European Union (EU) methane regulation that the Polish government is promoting would cut emissions from the country’s active thermal coal mines by just 12 per cent by 2040. The recent defeat of the ruling right-wing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party will result in a more climate-friendly coalition government, but its position on methane emissions is not clear. In November 2021, the European Union and the US launched the Global Methane Pledge which proposed reducing methane emissions by at least 30 percent from 2020 levels by 2030. The International Energy Agency estimates that Poland could cut EU methane emissions by 15 per cent at less than one euro per kilogram. The EU methane emissions reduction target will be finalised at a meeting on November 14. (Ember)

NGOs call for protection of Vietnam's environment defenders: Maureen Harris, an adviser to the International Rivers Network, has called for donor countries to suspend further work on Vietnam’s US$15.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership until it includes “clear provisions against reprisals and for protection of environmental defenders”. Vietnam has arrested and imprisoned six environmental defenders in the last two years. In September, the executive director of the Vietnam Initiative for Energy Transition, Ngo Thi To Nhien, was arrested for possessing electricity transmission planning documents of state-owned power utility EVN.  The arrest of Nhien, who has advised the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank on climate change, is viewed by Phil Robertson from Human Rights Watch as widening the crackdown on environmental activists to include technical experts.  A senior official with Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security said criticism by international media and NGOs is considered interference in Vietnam’s internal activities. (Reuters, International Rivers Network, Viet Nam News)

Indonesian residents resist relocation for Chinese-backed industrial park: The Indonesian government is pressing ahead with plans to demolish five villages on the island of Rempang to make way for an industrial park for Xinyi Group, a major Chinese glass company. News reports suggest that at least 961 households would be relocated if the project proceeds. Xinyi announced that as part of its plan to build nine factories, the company plans to invest in a 2500 MW coal and gas-fired power plant to supply the industrial park. Xinyi has proposed establishing plants to manufacture glass and solar panels. In early September, about 1000 police with armoured vehicles fired tear gas and used water cannons against protestors opposing the project. Dozens of students were hospitalised after police fired teargas into a school. Residents have also expressed alarm over the project’s likely water use and pollution. Amnesty International Indonesia condemned the heavy-handed actions of the police. On September 11, 43 people opposing relocation from their land were arrested at a protest in front of the office of the Batam Free Trade Zone Authority. (Indonesia Business Post, CNN Indonesia [Indonesian], Global Energy Monitor)

US members of Congress seek details on rehabilitation at idled mines: US Democratic Party members of Congress have requested the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate whether coal companies hit by declining prices are engaging in the long-term idling of mines to avoid spending funds to meet the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). In a letter to the GAO, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania requested details on the number, location and size of coal permits since the start of 2019 that have been idled but have neither produced coal nor undertaken reclamation work for over a year. Fetterman asked whether SMCRA regulations effectively ensure mining companies rehabilitate idled mines in “a timely manner and provide adequate financial assurances to cover reclamation costs”. (E & E News, Inside Climate News, Senator John Fetterman [Pdf])

Czech government proposes 2033 coal end-date: The Czech government has approved a draft revised National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), which aims to phase out coal power by 2033 and increase renewable energy generation from 15 per cent to 30 per cent by 2030. The Minister for Energy and Trade, Jozef Síkela, said the Czech Republic “will also stop exporting brown coal electricity, the production of which will no longer be profitable due to the price of emission permits”. The draft plan, which will be submitted to the European Union for approval, also proposes the construction of a new conventional nuclear reactor at the existing Dukovany nuclear plant by the mid-2030s. The Centre for Transport and Energy said the government had not provided a role for the public to comment on the draft plan as required. Greenpeace Czech Republic said the draft plan does not meet the European Union’s renewable generation or energy efficiency targets. According to the Global Coal Plant Tracker, the Czech Republic has 69 operating coal units with a combined capacity of 7445 MW. (Euractiv [Registraion required])

Australia: Whitehaven Coal has acquired the Daunia and Blackwater metallurgical coal mines in Queensland from BHP Mitsubishi Alliance. The Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis highlighted financial risks with the deal.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: The parliament of Bosnia’s Serb-dominated Republika Srpska is considering a bill that would allow greater regulation on NGOs, including for them to be designated as “foreign agents” if they receive international funding.

India: Orchardists are taking legal actions against an Adani Power subsidiary and the West Bengal government over compensation for damage to orchards caused by the Godda-Bangladesh transmission line.

Romania: The Minister for Energy, Sebastian Burduja, agreed to a request from unions to seek support from the European Union for a two-year extension of Complexul Energetic Oltenia’s coal plant. The extension will allow the continued operation of the Gorj mine.

UK: A coalition of 30 NGOs and businesses have written to the Welsh Minister Julie James and Deputy Minister Lee Waters requesting a ban on any further coal mines in Wales.

IEA points to big cuts in coal use if solar rollout accelerates: In the latest World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates global coal use will peak in the mid-2020s in its Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) based on current policies, but this would lead to a global temperature increase of about 2.4 °C in 2100. The IEA reiterates the essential requirements are a tripling of renewable energy capacity, doubling energy efficiency improvements to 4 per cent annually, “slashing” methane emissions from fossil fuel operations, and electrifying end uses. The agency estimates these provide more than 80 per cent of the required emissions reductions by 2030. The agency estimates that the impacts would be profound if the world adds over 800,000 MW of new solar capacity a year by 2030. In this case, the IEA estimates that Chinese coal power generation would fall by 20 per cent. In this scenario, the IEA estimates that without any further coal plant retirements, the average annual capacity factor for coal plants would slump from over 50 per cent today to about 30 per cent in 2030. The IEA estimates an average yearly deployment of 70,000 MW each year to 2030 across Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East would cut fossil fuel generation by about one-quarter compared with the STEPS scenario. (International Energy Agency)

South African minister says overreliance on old coal plants a "folly": In the wake of a report by VGBE Energy on the state of Eskom’s 14 coal plants, South Africa’s Minister for Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, acknowledged that while the current focus is on improving the reliability of existing plants, “you can’t take away the fact that they are aging”. The VGBE Energy report was finalised in September 2023 but has not been made public. “An overreliance on these [coal] units, I think, is particularly unhelpful; it’s the height of folly to suggest that, going into the future, this is going to resolve our problems . . . and that’s why we must accelerate the onboarding of new generation,” Ramokgopa said. The Democratic Alliance, an opposition party, has submitted a freedom of information request to the National Treasury for a copy of the VGBE Energy report. (Engineering News, Democratic Alliance)

Indian rail links completed to expedite coal shipments: The 1337-kilometre Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC) from Punjab to Bihar will likely begin operations on November 1, a project set to halve the freight time for coal to power plants in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The power plants in the four states account for about 70 per cent of the coal capacity in India’s northern region. The new corridor will cater for coal shipped from India’s main coalfields via upgraded spur lines, including the Tori-Shivpur line in Jharkhand and the Chopan-Chunar line in Uttar Pradesh. The new rail line will primarily cater for coal shipments. Construction of another coal railway, the 1500-kilometre Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) between Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Maharashtra, is about 70 per cent complete and may be commissioned in March 2024. The World Bank funded the eastern corridor project, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency backed the western link. (India Today, Business Standard)

Mongolia aims to export 60 million tonnes of coal in 2024: Mongolia’s Finance Minister, Bold Javkhlan, said the country aims to export at least 60 million tonnes of coal in 2024, up from this year’s target of 36.5 million tonnes. In 2022, Mongolia exported 31.7 million tonnes, overwhelmingly to China. According to Mongolia’s National Statistics Office, 48.9 million tonnes of coal was exported in the nine months to the end of September 2023. No breakdown is available for the respective shares of thermal and metallurgical coal. The commissioning of three new rail links to China and the eased border restrictions have boosted Mongolia’s coal export trade over the last year. (Xinhua)

Review flags doubts about life extension for old Australian coal plant: A 283-page study by Grant Samuel of Origin Energy’s finances suggests that the financial benefits of extending the life of the 2880 MW Eraring coal plant in New South Wales are likely to be modest and for a short duration. Origin has proposed a 2025 closure date for the plant, but the newly elected NSW government has flagged the prospect of extending the power station’s life. Grant Samuel suggests there is a “limited window (potentially around two or three years)” for the extension of the plant, but it would be costly to continue operating with an expected A$30 per tonne (US$18.93 per tonne) increase in the coal price in 2025 at a time of falling electricity tariffs. The NSW Opposition suggested that keeping the plant operating for a few more years could cost the government up to A$3 billion (US$1.9 billion). (RenewEconomy)

Review finds significant increase in companies expanding coal: Updated data in Urgewald’s Global Coal Exit List of 1400 companies involved in the thermal coal industry reveals that the number of companies with expansion plans jumped from 490 in 2022 to 577 in 2023, an 18 per cent increase. Urgewald estimates that 40 per cent of the companies are still developing new thermal coal mines, power plants and coal-related infrastructure. Only 41 companies on the list have announced a coal phase-out date that aligns with the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal, but most propose adding gas generation capacity. A further 30 companies on the list have announced a deadline for exiting coal. (Urgewald, Reclaim Finance)

Greenpeace urges automakers to up orders for low and zero-carbon steel: Greenpeace East Asia’s annual review of automakers ranks BMW, General Motors (GM), Ford, and Mercedes-Benz as the only manufacturers that have committed to switching part of their steel consumption to low-carbon steel. GM and Ford are part of the First Movers’ Coalition that requires members to source at least 10 per cent of steel consumed by 2030 from “near-zero emissions” production. The Greenpeace review did not assess Tesla and BYD, the only automakers producing electric vehicles. Greenpeace estimates the auto sector accounts for about 16 per cent of global steel consumption, with the world’s 16 largest car makers accounting for between 39 and 65 million tonnes of steel in 2022 and responsible for about 74 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Greenpeace argues auto companies need to audit and disclose the carbon footprint of materials used in production, set steel reduction targets, commit to sourcing low-carbon steel and invest in the development of zero-carbon steel. The report urges automakers to reduce the production of sport utility vehicles that use about 20 per cent more steel than smaller passenger vehicles. (South China Morning Post, Greenpeace East Asia)

NGO criticises steel company decisions to reline blast furnaces: SteelWatch, an NGO promoting a shift away from coal-based steel production, estimates that the decisions of four companies to reline existing blast furnaces could result in over 511 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the life of the plants. Relining involves the replacement of refractory brickwork and typically extends the life of the blast furnace by between 15 and 20 years. As members of the Responsible Steel initiative, POSCO, Tata and BlueScope committed to aligning their operations with the Paris Agreement goal. Despite this, POSCO is relining a furnace at its Pohang plant and flagged plans to reline another one at the Gwangyang steelworks, Tata has decided to continue operations at its Ijmuiden plant in the Netherlands, and Bluescope is pressing ahead with plans to reline its No. 6 blast furnace at Port Kembla in Australia. In the US, Cleveland Cliffs has pushed back by a year to 2026 the relining of a furnace at its Burns Harbor plant but foreshadowed renewing a furnace at its Middletown plant in Ohio in 2027. SteelWatch argues steel companies headquartered or operating in OECD countries must cease relining furnaces in coal-based steelworks. Agora Energiewende, a German energy transition think tank, estimates that the owners of about 78 per cent of steel capacity in OECD countries will face decisions before 2030 on relining existing blast furnaces or switching to cleaner production technologies. (SteelWatch)

World Energy Outlook 2023, International Energy Agency, October 2023. (Pdf) (The IEA’s press release on the report is here; the online version of the report is here.)

This 355-page report provides a detailed outline of the significant shifts in the world energy industry.

Metalmorphosis: How decarbonisation is transforming the iron and steel industry, Wood MacKenzie, October 2023.

This 14-page paper provides a valuable overview of the different pathways to decarbonise steel production.