[Tim A. Moore, Ph.D – Professional Expert in Unconventional Energy]

It is widely recognised that we live in the hydrocarbon age. Coal ignited the industrial revolution in the 1800s and with the discovery of liquid petroleum, oil allowed mass transport to be affordable and provided electricity to millions of homes. Lately, natural gas has gained prominence in response to climate change.

Exploration of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons, in particular, has moved from easier, ‘conventional’, targets such as porous and permeable sandstone reservoirs in anticlines (Fig. 1) to ‘unconventional’ units that are distinctly less permeable and require innovative approaches to access hydrocarbons economically.

The unconventional units yield primarily gas from coal, shale and tight sandstone lithologies. In a world attempting to decarbonise, natural gas is seen as a transition energy source as renewables are developed and become more affordable.

Figure 1. Schematic of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon deposits (Charpentier & Ahlbrant, 2003).

 

It is hard to overstate how important unconventional gas will be over the next few decades. Unlocking these deposits, however, is a different story. Indonesia is in a unique position, with extensive unconventional coal seam gas and shale gas deposits. But to develop these resources will require research by industry, academics and governmental institutions. Without these collaborations, the gas will remain in the ground and more carbon intensive and polluting sources will be used to power the ever-increasing standard of living of a growing population. Ultimately, leadership must come from governments.

Even if the world transitioned to 100% renewables today, study of hydrocarbons should not cease. These hydrocarbons, especially those organics from non-marine, terrestrial plant sources, are incredibly useful proxies to the Earth’s past.

Fundamentally, organics from plants use the sun’s energy to drive photosynthesis, which in turn creates large molecular structures made up of C, H, O, and N. When these organics get buried they preserve clues to the past. Unlocking these clues, and thus an understanding of events in deep time (Fig. 2), is critical for our human endeavours. Lets remember, the truth is out there, and it’s probably in the organics!

Figure 2: Some of the things organic material can tell us about Earth’s past.

[Dr. Siti Sumilah Rita Susilawati – Coal Geologist, Head of Coal Division, PSDMBP]

Along with the rapid development of civilization and technology today, the need for green energy becomes important in order to reduce the use of high carbon emission energy (CO₂). The latest trend in energy development and environmentally friendly industries is the use of minerals/valuable elements as materials for energy sources. One of the minerals that can be used is rare earth element (REE).

REE are important elements that is used in various products that we use every day such as cell phones, hard drives, camera lenses, microwaves, medical equipment, weaponry and many other high-tech products. REE are 17 elements in the earth’s crust consisting of 15 lanthanide metal elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu), scandium and yittrium. REE is commonly found in several minerals such as monazite, xenotime, and bastnaesite. However, several recent studies have shown that coal can contain REE at level equivalent to REE-bearing minerals (Read Also: Coal Combustion Solid Waste: the Potential of Future Unconventional Resources in Indonesia?).

Coal consists of organic and inorganic components. The existence of REE in coal is associated with its inorganic components. The process of coal combustion at thermal power station (PLTU) will remove organic components and leave inorganic components behind. This process can lead to the enrichment of REE content in ash from coal combustion. REE content in coal fly ash is indicated to be 10 times greater than in the coal itself (Seredin and Finkelman, 2008). In Indonesia, research on REE in coal are still very limited. Research conducted on Bangko, South Sumatra coal shows that the coal has REE content of 2.4 to 118.4 ppm (Anggara, et al, 2018). Assuming that the REE content in fly ash is 10 times the REE content in coal, the potential for REE in Bangko coal fly ash is estimated to be around 1000 ppm, a large enough and promising amount to be extracted commercially. In addition, the REE extraction process from coal fly ash can increase the added value of coal.

REE extraction from FABA is one of the downstream programs that currently becomes the national program of the Center for Mineral, Coal and Geothermal Resources (PSDMBP), Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM). To achieve this, PSDMBP is currently conducting studies related to the potential of REE in Indonesian coal. The studies are carried out in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering UGM and Unconventional Geo-Resources Research Group – UGRG UGM. The results are expected to be able to reveal the potential of REE in Indonesian coal, to open up opportunities for increasing the added value of coal, and to increase the state’s revenue through REE production from Indonesian coal. Furthermore, REE production also means opening up opportunities for the establishment of various modern industries in Indonesia, which means opening up many new jobs.

Figure 1. The depict of REE in coal as a hidden treasure owned by Indonesia (psdg.bgl.esdm.go.id)

PSDMBP hopes that the establishment of UGRG and the increasing number of research on coal downstream process can contribute to the disclosure of the potential of the downstream process for Indonesian coal, so that it can be realized in a directed and effective manner and produce significant products that can be applied immediately.

“To sum up, for Indonesia, REE in coal is a hidden treasure and our job is to take this treasure out of its hideaway”.

Sources:

• geologi.ugm.ac.id. (2020, 23 Juni). Focus Group Discussion Potensi Hilirisasi Batubara, Diakses pada 23 Juni 2020, dari https://geologi.ugm.ac.id/focus-group-discussion-potensi-hilirisasi-batubara/
• psdg.bgl.esdm.go.id. (2020, 23 Juni). A Hidden Treasure – Rare Earth Elements In Coal. Diakses pada 23 Juni 2020, dari http://psdg.bgl.esdm.go.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1215&Itemid=610
• psdg.bgl.esdm.go.id. (2020, 23 Juni). Bidang Mineral / REE. Diakses pada 23 Juni 2020, Diakses pada 23 Juni 2020, dari http://psdg.bgl.esdm.go.id/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1280&Itemid=610

[Prof. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc. P.hD. – Head of BMKG]

At the commemoration of World Meteorological Day 70 on 23 March 2020, the theme “Climate And Water” was used as an international theme. Prof. Karnawati said that the theme had been with the world’s eyes on climate and water issues. According to Prof. Karnawati climate change is a long-term change from the statistical distribution of weather patterns over a period of time from decades to millions of years. It can be interpreted as an average change in weather conditions or changes in distribution of average weather events. Climate change can occur locally, confined to specific regions, or can occur throughout the Earth’s surface area. The change was marked at least by four things, first due to the global change/temperature rise, the two high rises in seawater, the three increasingly more extreme weather conditions and other, and the fourth is a change in rainfall patterns.

Climate change is currently marked by the increasing incidence of hydrometeorological disasters, including a reduced water availability and or even causing excess amount of water discharge at other times, as well as forest fires and land. These hydrometeorological disasters will potentially increase based on the projected future climate change, and can affect water resources, food, and energy resilience.

In Indonesia, from the historical data of rainfall in Jakarta for 130 years collected by BMKG identified by the trend of intensity and the frequency of extreme rain is increasingly high (Siswanto et al, 2016), correlated with flood events in Jabodetabek since the last 30 years (Siswanto et al, 2015 and Siswanto et al, 2017). The daily extreme rain intensity reached a new record 377 mm per day in the year 2020 was recorded at Halim Perdana Kusuma station (Siswanto et al, 2020). Climate change also affects the rise of air temperatures. Indonesia’s air temperature in the last 30 years rises about 0.1 degrees Celsius. The increase looks small, but the world has limited that until the year 2030 the temperature change should not be more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, until the year 2020 this temperature increase in Indonesia has almost reached 1.6 degrees Celsius since 1866 (Siswanto et al, 2016). The scorched climate in Indonesia will also be accompanied by dry season that is getting dry up to 20 percent in some areas of Indonesia such as in South Sumatera, Java, Madura, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. In addition, the Community must be aware that Indonesia is located in the ring area of fire so disaster risk such as earthquakes, tsunami or volcano, mudslides to the flood is inevitable.

These challenges require early anticipation so that Indonesia and the world are able to adapt and mitigate appropriately. People can play a role in mitigation by doing small things but can reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as restricting the use of motor vehicles, starting to switch to public transportation, saving the use of electricity and water, reducing the use of plastic waste, and planting trees in the surrounding environment.

Figure 1. Prof. Karnawati when explaining to participants of the climate field school about the process of precipitation of rainfall (source: BMKG)

Further, this climate change does not perceive the boundaries of territorial and every country must feel it. Breakthrough and leap-based innovations to big data analytics and artificial intelligent are the necessity for increased mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Research conducted by experts need to focus on reducing carbon dioxide emissions to withstand the pace of global temperature rise. But it is also necessary to approach social innovation or social engineering as an effort to adapt to this climate change.

For example, farmers need to be equipped with knowledge to understand and utilize climate and weather information/predictions, to adjust the time, patterns and types of crops to be planted, in order to produce optimal food compounding products despite the various weather tension. By adapting this, farmers can also decide the planting time and the right harvest time, to avoid extreme weather/climate disturbances.

Up to now, the Non-Conventional Earth Resources Study Center (UGRG) has been trying to play an active role in research related to climate change, one of them through the study of CO2 concentration _on ancient atmosphere and carbon accumulation rate based on succession of tropical peat for the reconstruction of ancient climate and related disaster mitigation due to Global warming (see related publications). In the future, UGRG is expected to develop appropriate related research for the safety and welfare of the people of Indonesia and the world.

  Source:

• https://www.bmkg.go.id/press-release/?p=hari-meteorologi-dunia-ke-70-bmkg-mengajak-masyarakat-lebih-tanggap-pada-perubahan-iklim-dan-ketahanan-air&tag=press-release&lang=ID
• https://www.suara.com/news/2020/01/03/170643/bmkg-siklus-hujan-ekstrem-terjadi-lebih-cepat-akibat-perubahan-iklim
• https://news.harianjogja.com/read/2019/07/23/500/1007514/prediksi-bmkg-2030-suhu-di-indonesia-bakal-makin-panas
• Siswanto, G. J. van Oldenborgh, G. van der Schrier, R. Jilderda, B. van den Hurk, Temperature, extreme precipitation, and diurnal rainfall changes in the urbanized Jakarta city during the past 130 years, International Journal of Climatology 36 (2016) 3207 – 3225. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/joc.4548.
• Siswanto, G. J. van Oldenborgh, G. van der Schrier, G. Lenderink, B. van den Hurk, Trends in high-daily precipitation events in Jakarta and the flooding of January 2014, Bulletin American Meteorological Society 96 (2015) S131 – S135.
• Student, G. van der Schrier, G. J. van Oldenborgh, B. van den Hurk, E. Aldrian, Y. Swarinoto, W. Sulistya, A. E. Sakya, A very unusual precipitation event associated with the 2015 floods in Jakarta: an analysis of the meteorological factors, Weather and Climate Extremes 16 (2017) 23 – 28.
• Siswanto, Andhika H., Yesi U. S., Tamima A., Marjuki, Trihadi E., Nasrullah, Herizal, Extreme Rainfall triggers Jakarta Floods in A Changing Climate Perspective, 2020 (in preparation for publication)

[Dr. Ferian Anggara – Lecturer and Head of UGRG FT at UGM]

Will coal be needed in the next 50 years? To answer the question, we need to check the Indonesian energy Bauran which is contained in the Presidential decree No. 22 year 2017. According to the presidential decree, Indonesia still relies on coal by 30% until 2025 and 25% until 2050. Not to mention if we look more deeply related to the definition of “New and Renewable Energy” in the presidential decree, then the proportion of coal use will be greater.

Furthermore, what are some steps we can take to continue using coal as one of the main energy sources in Indonesia and at the same time can continue to follow the global developments towards environmentally friendly energy use?

One of the centers of Non-conventional resource studies (UGRG) is to conduct research related to the utilization of coal that not only as a commodity, but can be directly utilized as a source of Non-conventional energy such as Coal Bed Methane (CBM), Coal Gasification and other tourism products that can be accessed in the publication Link (journal & proceeding). 

In addition, coal that is currently used as a major source of power generation in Indonesia also provides its own opportunities and challenges related to the handling of its combustion results (hereinafter called Fly Ash and Bottom Ash – FABA). FABA has long been utilized as raw material building, such as cement and concrete mixture. However, recent research conducted by UGRG suggests that FABA can also produce geopolymer, rare ground metals/REE, carbon nanotubes, chenosphere, and other green transmutation material results. More details related to the utilization of FABA comprehensively accessible at the following link (research topic).

In closing, I would like to cite Seredin and Dai’s writings (2012) with a slight modification: “Identification of valuable elements resources during coal study and utilization may not only increase beneficiation of coal deposits themselves but also will promote humanity’s further movement on the Green Road”