ndonesia may be unable to meet increasing demand for coal from European countries that are looking to stock up on the dirty fuel source as they reduce energy imports from Russia.
Spain, Italy and the Netherlands have joined Germany in exploring options to purchase a larger amount of coal from Indonesia, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has said.
Previously, Germany was said to have asked for around 150 million tons of coal from Indonesia, but the ministry said there was no formal agreement to that request.
India, which is Indonesia’s second-largest coal export destination, has also approached Indonesia to acquire more coal to meet its domestic needs.
Indonesian coal shipments to Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Poland and Switzerland have increased tremendously over the first five months of the year compared with the same period of last year, Statistics Indonesia data show.
Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry special advisor Irwandy Arif expressed doubts that Indonesia could meet additional demand from Europe, arguing that many producers were having a hard time increasing their production due to extreme weather and difficulties in obtaining mining equipment.
He pointed out that producers had met only 41 percent of their full-year output target by the end of May, implying a possible shortfall in this year's production.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.