Coal demand from Europe continues to increase with the coming of winter and supply shortages from other countries. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) recently updated data related to coal exports.
Europe is indeed in need of coal as raw material for its country’s electricity needs during the current energy crisis.
Coal from Indonesia became a substitute for European imports when these countries imposed economic sanctions in the form of stopping coal from Russia which became their mainstay.
Indonesia’s coal exports to Europe until December 2022 are estimated to reach 6.6 million tonnes. This number even exceeded the highest export record in 2012 when coal exports to Europe, especially Spain, reached around 6.2 million tonnes.
This was disclosed by the Director of Coal Business Development, Directorate General of Minerals and Coal, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Lana Saria. She confirmed that this export would be the largest in history.
Lana said the projected Indonesian coal exports to there were assuming coal exports this December could reach 0.7 million tons, the same as shipments in November which reached 0.7 million tons.
“If the December 2022 projection is the same as the November 2022 realization, namely a total of 0.7 million tons, then the projected realization of coal sales to Europe by the end of 2022 is 6.6 million tons,” he said.
Until November 2022, coal exports to Europe were recorded at 5.9 million tonnes. of the total Indonesian coal exports to Europe, the largest was to Poland with a total of 2.1 million tons, followed by the Netherlands and Italy with 1.3 million tons and 1.2 million tons respectively.
“We convey that Indonesia’s coal exports to Europe as of November 2022 total exports of 5.9 million tons. The largest realization was to Poland with 2.1 million tons and followed by the Netherlands and Italy with 1.3 and 1.2 million respectively. tons,” he said.
This amount is even greater than predicted by the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI). Previously, APBI Executive Director Hendra Sinadia said that Indonesia’s coal exports to Europe were expected to reach 5 million tons by the end of this year. The reason is, until October 2022 alone, Indonesia’s coal exports to Europe were recorded at 4 million tonnes.
The lack of supply of energy raw materials for power plants in Europe until entering winter, according to him, will increase the demand for coal in Europe at the end of this year.
He said, almost some European countries ordered, not just piled up in one country. Starting from Germany, Poland, Italy, and Spain, according to him, ordered coal from Indonesia.
“Countries that previously imported from Russia were looking for from outside Russia, there were Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain,” he said.
Hendra said that the coal ordered by Europe had an average high-calorie content of over 5,500 kcal/kg, higher than coal for electricity generation in the country.
