Time to reject propaganda and get on with business

In recent months, India has witnessed an acute shortage of coal as several states, including the most populous, Uttar Pradesh, struggled to keep up with the electricity demand. Ironically, contrary to some misleading reports in the national and international media, demand for coal is declining anytime soon, especially in India and China. From the Indian point of view the Carmichael mine by Adani now known as Bravus Mining and Resources in Central Queensland is very critical in helping India keep up with the ever-growing energy demands — commercial, industrial and domestic. It will produce more than 10 million tonnes of coal annually.

The recently signed preliminary Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) between Australia and India has waived tariff on coal, which will make the venture more cost effective and yield economic dividends for both sides.

Unfortunately for over a decade, the Bravus mining has been targeted by many groups which have been peddling misleading facts and arguments about coal in general and Bravus’ operation, more specifically.

Greens and environmentalist groups argued that coal fired power generation was decreasing globally. According to the International Energy Agency the “global coal-fired generation has been rebounding strongly in 2021, spurred by rising gas prices in the United States and Europe and increased economic activity in China [and India]”.

Several environmental crusaders also claimed that mine was a ‘super/mega mine’ which will produce more coal than any mine in the world. Instead, it constitutes a mere 2.5% of the total world thermal coal trade.

Green activists also alleged that the mine will rob people of water. The fact is that water will be used for washing approximately 30 percent of the coal to increase its energy efficiency, for human use in workshops, offices and accommodation village, and for dust suppression to minimise any adverse impact on the health of the employees and neighbours. It is acquired from multiple sources: ground, rain, recycled and Sutton/ Belyando river.

The ground water comes from local aquifers connected to the coal seams beneath the mine site and not from the Great Artesian Basin (GAB), which is separated by a 250-300 metre thick layer of claystone called the Rewan Formation which prevents water from moving between the GAB and the mine. Safeguards are in

place to check seepage from GAB to the mine and the potential seepage is predicted at 730 ML per year, if the mine was producing 60 MT per annum. Phase one will produce less than 27.5 MT per annum.The mine will not extract any water from GAB and to offset any seepage, it will cap free-flowing GAB bores meant for agricultural users, totalling 730ML per year for the first five years. In total, 3,650ML water will go back to the GAB.The Sutton river water will only be pumped during floods and after the farmers and other users have taken their shares, and when the flow rate is higher than 2.592 ML per day. The Carmichael project has been granted license to use a maximum of 12.5 GL of water at a fee applicable to other local industrial users as well.

Doomsday activists also alleged the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef from mining activity. Perhaps, few know that the distance between the mine and the GBR is the same as between London and Paris i.e., 350 km and there are four other mines, Clermont, Goonyella, Blackwater and Mt Arthur, operating much closer to the GBR and Carmichael mine.

While that Adani Group has been subjected to relentless attacks and bad press by the media over climate change, not many are aware that it is also developing a 300MW Rugby Run Solar Farm project in North Queensland to supply 65MW of RE power in phase 1 and gradually expand to 170MW. More than 247,000 panels have been installed which will generate 185,000MWh of power annually from phase 1. According the CEO of Bravus, David Boshoff,the Adani Group has secured its position as the world’s largest solar company, following the announcement that Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has acquired SB Energy Holdings Ltd, which will see AGEL achieve a total renewable energy capacity of 24.3GW. “The 24.3 GW would be enough energy to power more than 8.5 million homes, or nearly all the households in Australia (9.2 million) each year."

Environmental and pressure groups have long alleged that mine will destroy ancestral lands, waters and cultures of the indigenous people. As global economies, and international trade and travel gain momentum post-Covid, it is time to lay propaganda to rest, and get on with the business. As ECTA becomes operational groups with vested interests should not be allowed to derail the growing Australia-India business and trade relationship.