Asia Energy - Coal and Power for Bangladesh

94% of all existing Bangladesh electricity power stations are coal fired

40% of all existing power stations need replacing because they are knackered.

Bangladesh plans to double the capacity of it's power stations by 2010.

Coal in Bangladesh believe it or believe it not is NOT in great quantity, especially good quality coal.

Common sense says to me , 'what government would sell their energy assets abroad, ie coal, knowing that the power stations and the brick industry of their country would need those assets to sustain the planned economic expansion ?

15 million tons of coal will be needed each year for electricity , assuming only doubling of capacity by 2010, after that the capacity would most likely double again by 2020, and power stations have a 30 year life , so by 2020 coal consumption could be 30 million tons per year , and bt 2030 60 million tons per year

Total ammounts of coal needed just for electricity would then be

2006 to 2010 15m tons/yr = 60m tons
2010 to 2020 22.5m av/yr = 225m tons
2020 to 2030 45m av/yr = 450m tons

Total Coal needed for Electricity by 2030 = 735m tons

Brick Industry needs
2006 to 2010 3m tons/yr = 12m tons
2010 to 2020 5m tons/yr = 50m tons
2020 to 2030 8m tons/yr = 80m tons

Total Coal needed for Brick Industry by 2030 = 142m tons

Total Coal needed by both industries by 2030 = 877 million tons

Phulbari mine has maybe 500m tons, how much may get mined is debatable, so do you think that Bangladesh are going to import 877 million tons of coal that it will require, do you think they can afford it ?

Will the 6% royalty pay for it ?

B