Sloane to build efficient coal plant in Colombia

Market: Coal, Electricity
09/07/18

UK-based Sloane Energy Group plans to build Latin America's first ultra-supercritical coal power plant in Colombia, Sloane chief executive Peter Burrowes told Argus.

The $1.6bn La Luna power plant, to be built in coal-rich Cesar department, will have an initial 750MW of capacity in two units. In a second phase, a third 375MW unit will be added.

The plant will have low emissions because it will be designed as an ultra-supercritical generator (USC), in which extreme boiler temperature and pressure heat water so the resulting steam is more efficient at driving the turbines.

The upfront cost of USC technology is 20pc−30pc more expensive than a traditional unit, but proponents say the cost is offset by improved net thermal efficiency levels and reduced emissions.

The plant will also consume 75pc of less water than a regular coal power plant, Burrowes said.

Coal will be produced at Sloane's adjacent La Luna coal mine, where production will begin in late 2019 with 500,000 t/yr of capacity. The underground coal mine will gradually ramp up to 4.2mn t/yr by 2022, of which 2.4mn t/yr will be exported and 1.8mn t/yr will feed the power plant.

Coal will be transported along 2km of covered conveyor belts to reach the plant. Local utility Grupo de Energía de Bogota will build a 500kV transmission line to connect La Luna with the national grid at the La Loma substation.

The project, advised by UK private venture firm Talis Capital, Sloane's sole shareholder, received an environmental permit on 27 June. Sloane plans to award an engineering, procurement and construction contract by the end of 2018 from a shortlist of five companies from Europe, the US, China, Japan and Korea.

Sloane plans to participate in an upcoming auction for 6,900MWh per month of power supply for 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023, with incentives to start operations earlier to replace the firm energy that will not be delivered by stalled hydroelectric project HidroItuango.

The government's energy and gas regulator CREG has hinted that it may carry out the auction of firm energy ahead of the December deadline after recently issuing four resolutions to ensure short-term power needs are met.

"We are on the lookout to participate in the upcoming auction. Once we win firm energy in the auction and we select the EPC contractor, we will be able to close financing in first half 2019," Burrowes said.

Colombia has around 6.7bn t of proven coal reserves, but coal-fired generating capacity is dwarfed by hydroelectricity, which accounts for around three quarters of generation.

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

News

21/04/25

India’s thermal coal imports ease in March

Singapore, 21 April (Argus) — India's thermal coal imports in March fell on the year for the seventh consecutive month, pressured by rising domestic output and high inventories even as coal-fired generation expanded. The country imported 14.1mn t of thermal coal in March, down by 1.2pc from a year earlier, but up by over 24pc from 11.33mn t in February, according to data from shipbroker Interocean. Coal arrivals declined year-on-year across key origins barring Indonesia and South Africa. India's cumulative imports over January-March stood at 38.3mn t, down by 8.6pc from 41.9mn t in the same period a year earlier, according to Interocean data. Demand for imported coal fell as domestic availability continued to rise. The combined output from state-controlled Coal India (CIL), Singareni Collieries (SCCL) and captive blocks reached 118.54mn t in March, up by 1.6pc from a year earlier, according to data from the country's coal ministry. Overall supplies stood at 94.94mn t, up by 5.1pc from a year earlier. Combined coal supplies to utilities from domestic sources stood at 78.46mn t in March, up by 6.3pc from a year earlier and up from 69.61mn t in February, coal ministry data show. The increase in domestic coal output and supplies helped utilities to increase stocks to cater for an increase in coal consumption at power plants in March. But the higher domestic coal availability pressured imports. The country's coal-fired generation reached 117.95TWh in March, up from 112.82TWh a year earlier and well above the 106.18TWh in February, according to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) data. Higher temperatures and increased air conditioning use lifted coal-fired output in March. Coal burn at utilities could remain elevated over the summer months and exacerbate drawdowns from stocks at power plants and at coal producer CIL. Combined coal inventories at Indian power plants stood at 58.11mn t as of 31 March, up from 50.69mn t a year earlier, and up from 54.59mn t on 28 February, the CEA said. Inventories at CIL reached an all-time high of 106.8mn t as of 31 March, up from 89.41mn t a year earlier. Import mix Imports from Indonesia grew to 9.68mn t in March from 9.23mn t a year earlier, and were sharply higher from 6.75mn t in February, Interocean data show. Indonesia continued to be the primary supplier of imported coal to India in March, accounting for nearly 69pc of overall thermal coal imports, up from almost 60pc in February. Imports from South Africa, a source favoured by coal-consuming industries like sponge iron, rose by 72pc from a year earlier to 2.32mn t, but fell from 2.42mn t in February. Demand from India's coal-intensive sponge iron industry, which is a major consumer of South African NAR 5,500 kcal/kg coal, remained resilient following a stimulus measure from the Indian government to introduce steel safeguards , which in turn has driven domestic sponge iron prices higher. By Ajay Modi India thermal coal imports in March 2025 t Origin Quantity % ± m-o-m % ± y-o-y Indonesia 9,684,944 43.4 5 South Africa 2,323,265 -4 72.1 USA 1,132,417 66.8 -17.1 Russia 435,120 -27.1 -20.8 Mozambique 68,306 -42.7 -85.7 Others 458,288 -21.4 -44.1 Total 14,102,340 24.4 -1.2 Source: Interocean Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Find out more

News

IMF anticipates lower growth from US tariffs

17/04/25

News

17/04/25

IMF anticipates lower growth from US tariffs

Washington, 17 April (Argus) — Economic growth projections set for release next week will include "notable markdowns" caused by higher US tariffs that have been disrupting trade and stressing financial markets, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said today. The IMF earlier this month warned that the tariffs that President Donald Trump was placing on trading partners could pose a "significant risk" to the global economy. Those higher trade barriers are on track to reduce growth, raise prices for consumers and create incremental costs related to uncertainty, the IMF plans to say in its World Economic Outlook on 22 April. "Our new growth projections will include notable markdowns, but not recession," Georgieva said Thursday in a speech previewing the outlook. "We will also see markups to the inflation forecasts for some countries." Trump has already placed an across-the-board 10pc tariff on most trading partners, with higher tariffs on some goods from Canada and Mexico, a 145pc tariff on China, and an exception for most energy imports. Those tariffs — combined with Trump's on-again, off-again threats to impose far higher tariffs — have been fueling uncertainty for businesses and trading partners. The recent tariff "increases, pauses, escalations and exemption" will likely have significant consequences for the global economy, Georgieva said, resulting in a postponement of investment decisions, ships at sea not knowing where to sail, precautionary savings and more volatile financial markets. Higher tariffs will cause an upfront hit to economic growth, she said, and could cause a shift in trade under which some sectors could be "flooded by cheap imports" while other sectors face shortages. The IMF has yet to release its latest growth projections. But in January, IMF expected global growth would hold steady at 3.3pc this year with lower inflation. The IMF at the time had forecast the US economy would grow by 2.7pc, with 1pc growth in Europe and 4.5pc growth in China. The upcoming markdown in growth projections from the IMF aligns with analyses from many banks and economists. US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell on 16 April said the recent increase in tariffs were likely to contribute to "higher inflation and slower growth". Those comments appear to have infuriated Trump, who has wanted Powell to cut interest rates in hopes of stimulating growth in the US. "Powell's termination cannot come fast enough!" Trump wrote today on social media. Powell's term as chair does not end until May 2026. Under a longstanding US Supreme Court case called Humphrey's Executor , Trump does not have the authority to unilaterally fire commissioners at independent agencies such as the Federal Reserve. Trump has already done so at other agencies such as the US Federal Trade Commission, creating a potential avenue to overturn the decision. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Japan to develop geothermal power under net zero plan

16/04/25

News

16/04/25

Japan to develop geothermal power under net zero plan

Osaka, 16 April (Argus) — The Japanese government is gearing up to develop geothermal energy, as the clean power can help to decarbonise the power sector with stable output, unlike weather-dependent renewables such as solar and wind. The trade and industry ministry Meti on 14 April launched a public-private council to discuss the development of next-generation geothermal energy, aiming to formulate a draft guideline, including capacity and cost targets, by around October this year. The new technology could lift the country's potential geothermal capacity to at least 77GW, compared with 23.5GW based on conventional methods, according to the council. The draft plan aims to establish the next-generation geothermal technology as early as the 2030s, to expand the use of the clean energy with competitive prices toward 2040, while tacking geological challenges, such as fault and complex geology, in Japan. Should the next-generation technology, such as closed-loop and supercritical geothermal, prove practical, Japan could utilise its potential, said Meti minister Yoji Muto on 15 April. Japan could consider exporting the next-generation technology globally, as it has around 70pc global share in conventional geothermal turbines, he added. The geothermal strategy is in line with the country's new strategic energy plan (SEP) , which was published in February, as well as prime minister Shigeru Ishiba's push to develop geothermal capacity. Ishiba had focused on less-utilised and high potential geothermal, as well as micro-hydropower, during his [campaign for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party presidential election](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2608517) last year. The SEP assumes geothermal will account for 1-2pc of Japan's power mix in the April 2040-March 2041 fiscal year, which is relatively marginal compared with other renewables such as solar at 23-29pc, wind at 4-8pc, hydroelectric at 8-10pc and biomass at 5-6pc. But even the small share would be much higher compared with its actual share of 0.3pc of total power generation in 2023-24. Diversification of renewable power sources would be necessary to achieve Japan's plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 60pc in 2035-36 and by 73pc in 2040-41, respectively, against the 2013-14 level, before achieving its net zero goal in 2050. Under the SEP, Tokyo aims to reduce its dependence on thermal power to 30-40pc in 2040-41 from 71pc in 2024. Japanese private firms are already involved in further developing domestic and overseas geothermal projects. Japanese utility Hokkaido Electric Power and construction firm Obayashi said on 16 April that they will study potential geothermal resources in Hokkaido during April 2025-February 2026, taking advantage of subsidies provided by state-owned energy agency Jogmec. Japanese battery maker Panasonic Energy said on 8 April that it has signed a power purchase agreement with regional utility Kyushu Electric Power's renewable arm Kyushu Mirai Energy to secure around 50GWh/yr of geothermal-based electricity from 1 April. The stable geothermal supplies, unaffected by weather, could double a renewable ratio in its domestic power consumption to around 30pc, Panasonic said. By Motoko Hasegawa Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Dozens of US coal plants eligible for MATS extension

15/04/25

News

15/04/25

Dozens of US coal plants eligible for MATS extension

Cheyenne, 15 April (Argus) — The White House has identified more than 60 fossil fuel-fired power plants that will have two extra years to comply with the more stringent mercury and air toxics standards (MATS) finalized in 2024. Under a proclamation signed by US president Donald Trump last week, the plants on the list will be able to operate under whatever existing mercury and air toxics standards they currently are subject to until 8 July 2029. That is two years after the compliance deadline put in place in May 2024. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules finalized last year tightened mercury and air toxics standards for coal- and oil-fired units by 67pc, included new emissions-monitoring requirements and added standards for lignite-fired coal plants that put them in line with those for other coal plants. EPA in March said it was reviewing the new standards and said companies could seek exemptions to the mercury rule and other emissions rules. Trump followed that up last week with a proclamation that certain generating facilities would be given a two-year exemption in complying with the 2024 rule. The White House released the list of exempt power plants late on 14 April. Most of the plants on the list are coal-fired generators, some of which were scheduled for retirement by the end of 2027. These include Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston plant and one unit of its Cumberland plant, as well as Vistra Energy's Kincaid, Baldwin and Newton plants and two coal units of Vistra's Miami Fort plant. The two coal units at Southern Company's Victor J Daniel plant in Mississippi also have been exempted from the new mercury and air toxics rules for two years. Southern had planned on retiring those units by the end of 2027, but in February, the Mississippi Public Service Commission approved two special contracts that were expected to need unit 2 of the Daniel plant and possibly a unit of a natural gas plant to run into the 2030s. Some other coal plant units owned by Southern, TVA and Vistra also are now exempt from the July 2027 mercury and air toxics compliance deadline. So are some plant units owned by East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC), NRG, Ameren and Entergy. At least two natural gas plant units — unit 5 of Southern's Plant Barry and City Utilities of Springfield's John Twitty Energy Center, which has coal and natural gas generation — are exempt from the July 2027 deadline. So is unit 5 of Entergy's RS Nelson plant, which runs on petroleum coke. Essentially all of the other units in the White House's list are coal units, including Otter Tail Power's Big Stone and Coyote Station plants in North Dakota. Otter Tail said it had requested the exemptions "to avoid making unnecessary expenditures" if EPA decides to roll back the 2024 rule. EKPC said it was "grateful" its request to exempt the Spurlock and Cooper coal-fired power plants in Kentucky was granted and that the company "will continue to operate the plants in accordance with all market and environmental rules." NRG said it was still reviewing the order, but did not expect it to have any effect on its plans. TVA, Southern, Vistra and owners of other power plants given compliance extensions did not respond to requests for comment. By Courtney Schlisserman Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Australian coal methane emissions under-reported: Ember

15/04/25

News

15/04/25

Australian coal methane emissions under-reported: Ember

London, 15 April (Argus) — Australian coal miners emitted 40pc more methane in 2020 than they reported, energy think-tank Ember said in a review of satellite data released today. The organisation, along with energy intelligence company Kayrros, analysed methane emissions from four mining "clusters" in Queensland in 2020, which account for roughly three fourths of the state's thermal coal and almost all of its coking coal production. The investigators found "a total of 1.42 ± 0.19 million tonnes of methane released from coal mines" in that year. Miners in the state reported 1.01mnt of methane emissions during the same period. The difference between reported and actual emissions was much larger in New South Wales, Ember said. "While the state reported 379,000t of methane in 2020, our satellite study identified 721,000t of methane that year, while only accounting for approximately 61pc of the state's coal production," the organisation said. If all coal mines in New South Wales followed the same trend, this would suggest total methane emissions of 1.2mn t, more than three times the figure producers reported to the government. Ember are not the only organisation criticising Australia's official numbers. Climate Trace and Open Methane, two organisations monitoring greenhouse gas emissions by satellite, suggest that Australian coal miners are only reporting half of their methane emissions. Academics supported by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), writing in the American Chemical Society, published an article this year saying that trading company Glencore's Hail Creek mine was emitting four to five times more methane than it reported. Glencore sharply criticised the Hail Creek report, saying the study's aerial surveys lacked credibility because they were based on very limited samples and did not consider "inherent mining variability." The firm said that the report "failed to detect methane emissions" that it had reported itself. The producer, one of the country's largest, has repeatedly criticised satellite measures of methane emissions. The method, the firm said in a 2022 statement, is vulnerable to "atmospheric contaminants such as dust, water vapour or smoke" and cannot reliably detect the amount of greenhouse gases coming from mines. The Australian government launched a review of their methane reporting last year in light of the new satellite techniques used by researchers. The UK and EU are both planning a carbon tax on imported goods called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in the next two years. If either government were to accept Ember's figures, they could theoretically raise taxes on imported steel made with Australian coking coal. Neither government plans on taxing coal imports directly under CBAM. By Austin Barnes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more