The purpose of the article was to characterize the international steam coal market based on the latest available data. The information goes back to the first half of 2018. The article focuses on the description of the three largest exporters and importers of steam coal. Representatives in these categories were selected using the latest global statistics on 2017. In 2017, global production of steam coal amounted to 5.68 billion tons and exceeded production in 2016 by 4%. For several years, invariably the world’s leading exporters of steam coal are: Indonesia, Australia and Russia. In total, these three countries in 2017 supplied 73% of steam coal to the international market. However, for the 46% of global steam coal imports (data for 2017), three Asian countries are responsible: China, India and Japan. For each of the six listed countries (i.e. for: three major global exporters and three major global importers), the paper presents volumes related to coal production, export or import. The directions of deliveries or major coal exporters to a given country were also included. At the end of the article, the price situation was presented, as it appeared in the first half of 2018 on the European and Asian markets.
Households are the most significant group of consumers in the municipal and household sector in
Poland. In 2010-2016, households consumed annually from 8.9 to 10.8 million Mg of coal (77-81%
share in this sector).
As of the beginning of 2018, seven voivodships in Poland have already introduced anti-smog resolutions,
one has its draft, three are considering introduction of such resolutions. In the face of introducing
anti-smog resolutions, the analysis of coal consumption by households was conducted for a situation
where anti-smog resolutions will be introduced in all voivodships in Poland.
A forecast of hard coal consumption by Polish households in 2017-2030 was presented in the article.
Two scenarios differentiated in terms of calorific value of coal were taken into account: (i) concerned coal
with a calorific value of 24 MJ/kg (min. Q for eco-pea coal: grain size 5.0-31.5 mm), (ii) – coals with
a calorific value of 26 MJ/kg (Q recommended for use by producers of class 5 boilers).
In the perspective of 2030, the largest decrease in hard coal consumption can be expected (jointly)
in the voivodships of Śląskie, Dolnośląskie, Opolskie and Lubuskie. Under the assumptions made, in
relation to 2016, it may be reduced by half and fall from 2.8 to the level of 1.4-1.5 million Mg. The
smallest decreases in consumption may occur (jointly) in the Małopolskie, Lubelskie, Podkarpackie and
Świętokrzyskie voivodships – decrease by 16-22% and fall from 2.6 to approximately 1.9-2.0 million Mg.
On a national scale, coal consumption may decrease from the current 10.4 (2016) to around 6.3-6.8 million
Mg (a decrease of 30-35%).
Despite the decrease in hard coal consumption in the 2030 perspective, one should expect an increase
in demand for high quality coal dedicated to modern boilers (usually pea assortments) as well as qualified
coal fuels (mainly eco-pea coal).
The paper presents an analysis of hard coal prices offered at the coal depots in Poland. Coal depots are one of the most popular forms of purchasing coal by Polish households. Prices refer to price offers for cobble coal (grain size: 60–120 mm) and their analysis is performed based on the regions rather than on all Polish provinces. From January 2010 to May 2019, there were two regions that were distinguished in terms of price spread: the S-W region and the N-E region. In the case of the S-W region, the difference between the province with the minimum price (Śląskie Province) and with the maximum price (Dolnośląskie Province since September 2017) ranged from PLN 53–83/ton, and in the N-E region the difference ranged PLN 64–130/ton. In the case of the remaining two regions, prices varied from a few to approximately PLN 80/ton for the N-W region, and from a few to about PLN 40 /ton for the S-E region. In order to determine how the origin of the coal affects its prices (domestic coal, imported coal), the analysis also included cobble coal price offers that are part of the Author’s own database created for several years. In the case of cobble coal from domestic producers, price offers varied betwwen PLN 14–33/GJ, and price offers for imported cobble coal stood varied between PLN 12–32/GJ. The N-E region attracted particular attention as the price offers for imported cobble coal reached a level similar to the offers from the S-W region, i.e. the region closest to Silesian coal mines. Price differentials within provinces belonging to a given region were influenced by the geographical rent. The paper also analyses average selling prices offered by domestic producers for various size grades of steam coal as well as selling prices for imported coal (free-at-frontier price).
A significant part of hard coal production (15–19% in the years 2010–2017, i.e. 1.0–1.3 billion
tons per year) is traded on the international market. The majority of coal trade takes place by sea,
accounting for 91–94% of the total coal trade. The article discusses the share of coal in international
seaborne trade and the largest coal ports. Coal is one the five major bulk commodities (in addition
to iron ore, grain, bauxite, alumina, and phosphate rock). In the years 2010–2016, the share of coal
in international seaborne trade and major bulk commodities was 36–41% and 11–12%, respectively.
Based on the analysis of coal throughput in different ports worldwide, the ports with the
largest throughput include the ports of Qinhuangdao (China), Newcastle (Australia), and Richards
Bay (South Africa). For 2013–2017, their throughput amounted to a total of 411–476 million tons
of coal. The largest coal exporting countries were: Australia, Indonesia, Russia, Colombia, South
Africa, and the US (a total of 85% share in global coal exports), while the largest importers are
Asian countries: China, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan (a 64% share in global imports). In
Europe, Germany is the largest importer of coal (54 million tons imported in 2016). The article also
discusses the freight costs and the bulk carrier fleet. Taking the price of coal at the recipient’s (i.e.
at the importer’s port) into account, the share of freight costs in the CIF price of steam coal (the
price of a good delivered at the frontier of the importing country) was at the level of 10–14%. In
the years 2010–2016, the share of bulk carriers in the world fleet was in the range of 11–15%. In
terms of tonnage, bulk carriers accounted for 31–35% of the total tonnage of all types of ships in
the world. The share of new (1–4 years) bulk carriers in the total number of ships on a global scale
in the years 2010–2016 was 29–46%.
Biomass is one of the most frequently used sources of renewable energy. For centuries, wood has been used by people to heat their homes, and nowadays it is also used to generate electricity. The article discusses legal issues related to biomass, classification of biomass for energy purposes, quality parameters of selected ecological fuels, quality requirements for biomass, as well as biomass trade in the world. The article compares the quality requirements for biomass purchased by individual companies from the power sector (mainly dimensions, calorific value, moisture content, ash content, sulfur and chlorine). An analysis of the price of wood pellets on international markets, represented by the biomass stock exchanges: RBCN, EEX and BALTPOOL was also performed. The market analysis clearly shows that the international market for industrial pellets is dominated by intercontinental trade, which mainly concerns exchanges between the United States of America as a producer and Europe as a consumer. The largest amount of biomass is imported by the United Kingdom, mainly for its Drax biomass power plant, and this biomass comes from the USA and Canada. In addition to Great Britain, significant importers of wood pellets are the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark. Judging by the interest of Polish energy companies in the purchase of biomass, also in Poland, the development of the biomass market should be expected.
The article presents an analysis of Russia’s participation in international steam coal trade, which has been its important participant for years. The research covered the years 2014–2018. The geographical location on two continents and the availability of coal deposits, favors its presence on both the Pacific and Atlantic markets. The article also discusses the main coal producers in Russia and the prices of Russian steam coal directed to the spot market. Due to the significant share of coal exports for the Russian economy, the focus was also on analyzing Russian seaports.
In recent years, Asian exports have dominated in Russian steam coal exports. The share of export to this market in the years 2014–2018 was in the range of 49–57% (60–87 million tons). Currently, three countries play an important role among Asian countries: South Korea, China and J apan. They purchased a total of 38–52 million tons of Russian coal. Although in the years under analysis Russia exported 52–67 million tons of steam coal to the European market, the share of this market dropped from almost half to around 40%. T he slow departure from coal energy contributes to reducing the share of recipients from this direction. Among European countries, in 2014 the main direction of export was Great Britain with 19% (24 million tons) of total export share. In 2018, exports fell to 9 million tons (5%).
Among European destinations for Russian coal, Poland’s share is growing in importance. In the years 2014–2018, steam coal exports to Poland varied in the range of 5.6–16.2 million tons. In the years 2014–2018 it changed in the range of 5.6–16.2 million tons. The dynamic growth achieved in the last three years is noteworthy. In relation to 2016, imports increased by 10.0 million tons and in 2018 amounted to as much as 16.1 million tons. The article also discusses the geographical structure of coal imports to Poland by railway border crossings and seaports.
Observing the situation in the power industry it is easy to see that there are very deep changes in it. They rely primarily on moving away from conventional energy to renewable energy. This is particularly the case for energy in the European Union. Europe strives to be a forerunner in renewable technologies and a leader in the fight against global warming. The mining industry is being abolished and coal-fired power stations are being displaced by renewable energy sources. This situation is not only a result of EU directives but also of grassroots social initiatives inspired by environmental groups. The new lignite openings are being blocked, due to the lack of public acceptance, and the construction of conventional power plants. They do not help economic arguments for the development of energy based on coal, lignite, fuel that is significantly cheaper than the other, or to provide potential investors with the creation of new jobs. Also, coal investments are suspended in other regions of the world. CoalSwarm coal research shows that 2016 saw a dramatic fall in the amount of coal investment in the world. Even in China and India, where most of the coal industry has developed in recent years, about 100 investments have been suspended. The situation in the US is unclear. Although Barack Obama signed the Paris Agreement, current United States President Donal Trump has spoken out about this agreement and in numerous speeches and is eager to return to the dominant role of coal in the American economy. Poland still maintains the carbon structure of the power industry, but the Minister of Energy has announced that the new block at the Ostrołęka power plant will be the last coal-fired power plant to be built in Poland. This statement allows us to believe that there may be a return to Poland’s energy policy in the nearest future, and the long-awaited document, Poland’s energy policy until 2050, will determine the direction of change for the coming years.