Small businesses need 33 million tons of coal

Small businesses will need around 33 million tons of coal per annum as energy source provided that the government promotes the use of coal briquettes among small industries and abolishes fuel subsidies.

Junior researcher at the Center for Mineral Research and Technological Development (P3TM), Soedjoko TS, said that small businesses that would potentially become users of coal briquettes included tiles producers, coffee producers, tea producers and others.

"Coal could be used as energy sources for many activities, just all activities that need heat could use coal," he said.

However, because coal briquettes were not yet widely available, and fuels were still subsidized by the government, people still resorted to fuels to meet their heat needs. They consider using coal briquettes steamers as not practical.

Besides, the government's energy policy had not sided with the promotion of coal use. Therefore, Soedjoko, suggested that the government campaign for the use of coal, especially among small industries.

"If small industries in Indonesia choose coal as their energy source, they would consume no less than 33 million tons of coal per annum," he said.

He predicted that coal use would be more popular in the future, in line with the popularity of coal use in the world market. He projected that coal would be used in various sectors in developed countries by year 2008.

He noted that Indonesia's coal exports had been increasing continuously and steadily, although domestic consumption just booked moderate increase. Indonesia's coal exports rose by 3.4 million tons per annum in the past seven years to 55.2 million tons in 1999.

Consequently, Indonesia's coal production increased steadily by 4.6 million tons per annum in the last seven years, from 0.6 million tons in 1993 to 73.6 million tons in 1999. (*)