The food and energy crisis are two sides of the same coin, " said Sustainable Energy Authority Executive Director Asoka Abeygunawardena, when he launched the booklet titled

Press Trust Of India / New Delhi August 28, 2008, 0:01 IST

Coal India Ltd (CIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SSCL) fell short of their production targets in July this year, according to official figures released today.

"During the month of July 2008, the actual coal produced by CIL and SCCL was 30.02 million tonnes as against the annual action plan (AAP) target of 32.44 million tonnes,' an official release said.

It added that the actual coal production by CIL and SCCL during July 2007 was 28.74 million tonnes.

Czech power group CEZ plans to build a 1.1 billion euro (US$1.62 billion) wind park in Romania, the largest of its kind in Europe, in a move to offset emissions from dirtier coal-fired power plants. CEZ said the two-stage, 600 megawatt project would be built 17 km (10 miles) from the Black Sea shore, north of the port of Constanta, and would be around twice the size of the next biggest onshore wind farm in Europe.

Just over half the wind park would come on line in 2009 and the rest a year later, CEZ said.

UK-based Asia Energy has been behind the organised campaign of a group of civil society fronts in favour of swift coal extraction in northern Bangladesh, reveals a New Age investigation.
These fronts, platforms and associations, were initiated and supported by the subsidiary of Global Coal Management Resources to demonstrate public support for its proposal for an open pit coal mine stretching 65 square kilometres at Phulbari of Dinajpur, countering strong national and local opposition.

Newswire18 / Kochi August 25, 2008, 3:59 IST

The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) is planning to launch futures trading in thermal coal by September 10, the exchange's Chief Business Officer Unopam Kausik said on Saturday.

Initially, the exchange plans to introduce a contract lot size of 100 tonnes and the trading centre will be in Nagpur, Maharashtra, he said.

Delivery will be made in Surat, in Gujarat, and a couple of more locations in the western region, he said.

Press Trust Of India / Raipur August 25, 2008, 0:55 IST

The Chhattisgarh government today strongly opposed the coal import policy of the Centre saying any such scheme will lead to escalation of power tariff in the country.

"The Centre's decision to start five ultra mega power projects (UMPPs) with imported coal would have a huge cost escalation in power production and ultimately the consumers will be burdened with higher tariff cost,' Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board Chairman Rajib Ranjan told reporters here.

Ranchi: Three successive bandhs in the last seven days have pushed Tenughat Vidyut Nigam Ltd (TVNL), the major thermal power generating unit of the state, on the brink of a disaster.

The BJP-sponsored two- hour Bharat bandh on August 13, CPI(Maoists) sponsored Jharkhand bandh on August 19 and the bandh call of the Left parties today have adversely affected the coal supply to the company.

Hyderabad, Aug. 20: Coal India's decision to allot 10 per cent of its production for e-auction has hit the availability of coal for the thermal stations. Almost all thermal stations in the state are passing through severe shortage and some of them even closed down for few days as there was no coal to operate.

While the Mahanadi Coal Fields (MCF) has diverted nearly 30 million tonnes of coal towards e-auction, state-owned Singereni Collieries has been selling around three lakh tonnes of coal in e-auction, depriving both Rayalaseema and Kothagudem thermal stations.

Karimnagar, Aug. 18: Even while various trade unions are trying to ensure the participation of the Singareni coalminers in the ensuing nation-wide strike call on August 20, the Singareni management has launched a campaign to persuade the workmen to desist from the one-day strike.