How is Nickel for EV Batteries Smelted in Indonesia? With Coal.

Take a look:

Indonesia is building several new coal-fired power plants for industrial users, despite its stated commitment to start phasing out coal and transition to clean energy, according to a new report.

These so-called captive coal plants will have a combined capacity of 13 gigawatts, accounting for more than two-thirds of the 18.8 GW of new coal power in the pipeline.

Most of the plants will feed the nickel, cobalt and aluminum smelters that the government is promoting in an effort to turn Indonesia into a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles (EVs) and batteries.

Critics say the building spree goes against both these green technology aspirations and Indonesia’s own climate commitments, but regulatory and funding loopholes mean the government can freely build more new captive coal plants.

But local banks are lagging behind lenders elsewhere when it comes to ending coal financing, with not a single bank from Indonesia joining the net-zero alliance. In fact, five Indonesian banks — Mandiri, BNI, BCA, BRI and Permata — have agreed to fund Adaro’s smelter project and the coal power plants.

Three industrial estates dedicated to nickel are already in operation on Obi Island, Morowali and Weda Bay, and will be powered by a combined 14 captive coal plants churning out a total 12.6 GW — a fourth of Germany’s total coal capacity.

That figure is also more than double the 6.1 GW currently feeding the entire nickel industry in Indonesia, highlighting the scale of Indonesia’s nickel ambitions.

On the island of Bintan, less than an hour by boat from Singapore, there are plans to build 31 captive coal plants with total capacity of 3.2 GW, which is more than the entire coal capacity of France.

The nickel industry’s reliance on coal means that Indonesia’s climate road map is extremely flawed, Walhi’s Rere said. Detractors have long made the case that while EVs have virtually no emissions while in operation, their production is 30-40% more carbon intensive than that of an internal combustion engine vehicle — with much of that footprint coming from the production of the batteries.

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I wonder where they will be getting the coal to feed all of those.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I wonder where they will be getting the coal to feed all of those.

Probably from Indonesia:

“In 2022, about 687.43 million metric tons of steam coal were produced in Indonesia. In the same year, over 465 million metric tons of coal were exported from Indonesia. Indonesia is one of the largest coal exporters in the world.“ Link

They are the world’s third largest coal producer behind China and India while the USA is fourth.

Green energy!

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I wonder where they will be getting the coal to feed all of those.

Probably from Indonesia:

“In 2022, about 687.43 million metric tons of steam coal were produced in Indonesia. In the same year, over 465 million metric tons of coal were exported from Indonesia. Indonesia is one of the largest coal exporters in the world.“ Link

They are the world’s third largest coal producer behind China and India while the USA is fourth.

Seems like this plan makes great economic sense for them then.

Things like this is why I tell people that I didn't buy my EV to save the Earth or anything else because they won't...

Batteries got giant carbon feets...