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Kazakh thermal coal output falls 2pc in Jan-Apr

  • : Coal
  • 26/05/18

Kazakhstan's thermal coal production fell by 2pc on the year to 35.38mn t in January-April, with the energy ministry keen to boost output and investments to meet its annual target amid a slow start to the year.

Thermal coal production fell by 2.3pc on the year to 7.67mn t in April and by 19pc from 9.48mn t in March, National Statistics of Kazakhstan data show. Overall coal production including coking coal dipped by 1.2pc on the year to 36.95mn t.

Kazakh output got off to a slow start this year, with first-quarter production down by 2pc on the year to 27.7mn t. But the energy ministry today reaffirmed its 128.9mn t target for 2026. The ministry is trying to attract more investments to the sector, with expectations for 553.5bn tenge ($1.19bn) this year, up from 305bn tenge in 2025. This is part of broader efforts to boost the coal sector through the government's national project, under which more coal-fired generation capacity will start up between now and 2030.

The country will need to average about 11.69mn t/month to December to achieve its annual target. Production totalled 111.5mn t in 2025.

Most Kazakh coal production is used domestically, but the country plans to boost exports this year from the 30mn t shipped to markets such as Poland, Uzbekistan, Turkey, India and Malaysia in 2025.

Kazakhstan is Poland's import origin of choice, with sized coal often heard sold at premiums to the European benchmark API 2 index. Sized Kazakh coal of 0-300mm was heard offered as high as $130/t cif Gdansk last week, sources said. Argus assessed the NAR 6,000 kcal/kg cif Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp market at $110.38/t as of 15 May.

Kazakh-origin thermal coal imports hit a record high of 551,000t in Turkey in March, eroding the share of Russian thermal coal shipments to Turkey during the month.

Separately, coal dispatches by rail rose by 5pc on the year to 76.1mn t during the 2025-26 heating season, rail operator KTZ said earlier this month. Kazakhstan's heating season refers to the autumn-winter period running in general from mid-October to April. KTZ said it delivered 69.8mn t to combined heat and power plants and 6.3mn t to the municipal sector.

The rail operator said it has already begun preparing for the next autumn-winter period, with scheduled repairs and maintenance under way along key routes used to ship coal.

By Shreyashi Sanyal

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26/05/18

Transition credits can shift SE Asia from coal: IEA

Transition credits can shift SE Asia from coal: IEA

Singapore, 18 May (Argus) — Transition credits can help southeast Asia accelerate its coal transition while maintaining energy security and grid reliability despite the ongoing energy crisis arising out of the US-Iran war, according to a report released today by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The US-Iran war has heightened volatility in energy markets, making existing coal assets more economically viable for much of Asia in the short-term. Coal remains critical to meet growing energy demand and fulfil power system needs, and governments in southeast Asia have raised coal-fired power generation to ensure electricity supply and address fuel supply risks, the IEA said in its Financing the Modernisation of Power Systems Beyond Coal report. Countries in developing Asia accounted for almost 75pc of global coal-fired power capacity in 2024, with around 80pc of these plants younger than 20 years. These coal plants would emit over 280 gigatonnes of CO2 to 2100, or more than 85pc of projected global coal-related emissions, if current utilisation rates and standard lifetimes are maintained. Southeast Asia's coal transitions require scaling up replacements. Substituting 1GW of coal would require 1.5-2GW of onshore wind or 3-4GW of solar power, unless complemented by storage or other firm resources, the report said. The region needs around $20bn/yr in investments to 2050 to reduce coal-fired power emissions. Out of this amount, 70pc should go towards replacing coal power with solar and wind. Mobilising this amount requires supportive regulatory frameworks, as well as international public finance to help unlock private investment. Transition credits Transition credits are a type of high-integrity carbon credits issued from verified power sector emission reductions. These credits can improve the economic viability of the coal transition by offering a market-based revenue stream linked to emissions outcomes. There are already project-based transition credits that are publicly available or under development, such as the South Luzon thermal energy plant in the Philippines. Transition credit demand is currently limited, but compliance markets could be a source of demand in the future, the report said. But demand also depends on price. Carbon credit prices are dependent on factors such as the type of market the credits are eligible for and their perceived integrity. Transition credits could sell at $14-45/t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), the IEA said, which is higher than other types of carbon credits such as clean cooking carbon credits which cost around $6.25/t CO2, but lower than direct air capture carbon credits, which are priced at $500/t CO2e. To realise the full value of transition credits, governments should entrench coal transition pathways in credible national policy frameworks to improve policy predictability and provide market participants with more confidence to plan viable emissions reduction strategies, the report said. This also means integrating coal transition pathways and transition credits into power system planning because reducing emissions while ensuring reliable electricity supply requires co-ordination between transition initiatives and plans for replacement capacity, grid infrastructure, flexibility and energy efficiency. Transition credit methodologies should also be developed further as they are currently largely designed for pilot projects and mainly focus on early coal plant retirement. They could evolve alongside power system planning to make sure that transition credit projects are in line with the relevant country's energy security targets. By Prethika Nair Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

New Zealand’s Meridian reports higher hydro storage

26/05/15
26/05/15

New Zealand’s Meridian reports higher hydro storage

Sydney, 15 May (Argus) — New Zealand utility Meridian Energy reported higher hydropower storage levels and stronger electricity demand in April, as the country heads into the winter peak demand season with well-supplied generation reserves, it said today. Meridian Energy generated 1,009GWh of electricity in April, up by 13.5pc from 887GWh a year earlier, reflecting stronger hydro generation despite weaker wind output. National hydro storage increased to 119pc of the historical average on 11 May from 106pc on 13 April. South Island storage reached 109pc of average levels, while North Island storage surged to 201pc of average following heavy rainfall events. The elevated storage levels could reduce pressure on New Zealand's major non-renewable electricity generator, the 953MW Huntly power station on the North Island operated by Genesis Energy, which can run on coal or gas. Genesis cut its combined coal- and gas-fired output at Huntly by 45pc year-on-year to 869GWh in July–December 2025, explicitly attributing the reduction to increased hydroelectric generation. Coal- and gas-fired output from Huntly's Rankine units fell from 812GWh to 242GWh over that period, while output from its gas-fired units dropped from 755GWh to 627GWh. The four major New Zealand utilities — Genesis, Mercury, Meridian and Contact — agreed to underpin a coal-fired power reserve at Huntly, offering 150MW of Huntly Firming Options (HFOs) to market participants from 1 January to provide system security when hydro, gas and wind supplies are limited. Genesis has also set aside up to 600,000t of coal for dry winter conditions, with the HFOs intended to help limit wholesale power price volatility during peak winter demand. Genesis is also set to commission a 200MWh battery system at Huntly in July–September, coinciding with the peak winter demand period. By Lawrence Wen Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Institutions lack fossil finance phaseout plans: Report

26/05/14
26/05/14

Institutions lack fossil finance phaseout plans: Report

London, 14 May (Argus) — Major financial institutions lack "robust commitments" to restrict or end the financing of fossil fuels, data from non-profit organisation World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) show today. WBA assessed 400 financial institutions, including banks, insurers, asset managers and asset owners. Of these, just two — Dutch bank ING and Swiss bank Zurcher Kantonalbank — have commitments to both phase out existing exposure to fossil fuels and stop new financing flows, WBA found. Of the institutions it evaluated, 15pc reported on financed fossil fuel activity, WBA added. Financial institutions' reporting on their finance for "low-carbon solutions" was higher, at 26pc, WBA found. Moving away from financing fossil fuels is "a step companies must take to demonstrate credible transition strategies and address escalating energy risks", WBA said. Fossil fuel combustion accounts for around 70pc of global greenhouse gas emissions. Of the financial institutions it assessed, more than a third "have initial signs of transition planning towards a low-carbon economy", WBA said. But it pointed to "major gaps" in the plans' credibility. For WBA to deem the transition plans as credible, they must have "sectoral targets for financing low-carbon solutions" for 2030, in line with a 1.5°C pathway. Banks lead the way, according to WBA data, with a "time-bound" and 1.5°C-aligned financing target present in a fifth of their transition plans. But such targets are included in far fewer plans from insurers, pension funds and asset managers, at 10pc, 7pc and just under 3pc, respectively, WBA found. The Paris climate agreement seeks to limit the global rise in temperature to "well below" 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and pursues a 1.5°C threshold. Some financial institutions have rolled back on climate-related pledges or action in recent months, most notably in the US . UK bank NatWest has removed some prohibitions on financing oil and gas producers , while UK-based HSBC and Spain's Santander have "weakened commitments to shift capital away from high-polluting clients", non-governmental organisation ShareAction said. Net zero investor initiative Net Zero Asset Managers (NZAM) relaunched in late February with weakened climate targets. And members of the equivalent initiative for banks, NZBA, voted in October to wrap up the alliance . The group's guidance for banks on setting climate targets remains available. By Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

War’s effect on US steam coal exports muted in March

26/05/13
26/05/13

War’s effect on US steam coal exports muted in March

Washington, 13 May (Argus) — US thermal coal exports continued to lag year-earlier levels at the end of last quarter, even as the onset of the US-Israeli war with Iran and concerns about gas shortages caused global coal prices and demand to spike. An estimated 4.29mn short tons (3.89mn metric tonnes) of US steam coal and anthracite departed ports in March, preliminary figures released by the Commerce Department last week show. That was down by 1.9pc from a year earlier. The Commerce Department data suggest there may have been some boost from greater international interest in coal in the immediate aftermath of the war in the Middle East, but that most of the effect was either limited or delayed. March's year-on-year decrease was the smallest since thermal coal exports consistently started declining in May 2025. Shipping data from analytics firms AXS Marine and Kpler indicate US steam coal exports last month may have been above year-earlier levels. Some producers have said recently that they made additional export sales for shipments later in 2026 and even 2027 when prices jumped in the immediate aftermath of the war. They also noted that seaborne markets in April and May were less attractive, and some companies expected continued price volatility in reaction to developments in the conflict. US thermal coal exports in March were skewed by a 14pc drop in shipments to India — the US' largest steam coal trading partner — as well as fewer exports to Pakistan, Brazil, Spain, Indonesia and Italy. Shipments to most other countries were higher in March than they had been a year earlier. March was the second straight month that US thermal coal exports to India declined from year-earlier levels. While coal held a competitive advantage over petroleum coke for cement makers in India, supply of Northern Appalachian coal last quarter was tight. Shippers of Northern Appalachian coal also appear to have shifted focus to buyers closer to the Atlantic basin. US thermal coal exports out of Baltimore, Maryland — the main exit point for international Northern Appalachian coal — to Morocco, Egypt, the Netherlands and the Dominican Republic increased. In the first quarter as a whole, US thermal coal exports to most countries were lower than they had been a year earlier. That said, US exports to Morocco, the Netherlands, Japan, Egypt, Germany and the Dominican Republic were all higher in March than in the same month of 2025, Commerce data show. US thermal coal exports for the entire first quarter of 2026 fell to 10.4mn st from 11.7mn st. Nearly all of the decrease in thermal coal exports was associated with bituminous steam coal, which fell to 3.64mn st in March and 8.56mn st for the first quarter from 3.95mn st and 10.3mn st a year earlier. Sub-bituminous coal exports rose to 556,949st in March, the most since September 2024, and 1.63mn st in the first quarter from 356,452st and 1.24mn st a year earlier. More than half of the sub-bituminous coal exported in March was en route to South Korea. Another 197,570st was listed as going to Singapore and trace amounts went to Belgium and Mexico. South Korea also was the primary destination for US sub-bituminous coal exports in the first quarter, followed by Japan, Singapore and a handful of other countries. US shipments of anthracite, lignite and other non-metallurgical coal also increased from a year earlier in March and in the first quarter. In addition, metallurgical coal exports climbed from year-earlier levels. This primarily reflected increased production. Overall US coal exports edged up to 9.34mn st in March from a little under 9.3mn st a year earlier. But for the first quarter as a whole, exports fell to 23.7mn st from 24.4mn st. By Courtney Schlisserman US coal exports from major districts st Export District 1Q 2025 1Q 2026 Baltimore, Maryland Metallurgical 2,061,044 1,766,659 Non-metallurgical 4,603,208 4,946,017 Los Angeles, California 245,199 330,809 Mobile, Alabama Metallurgical 2,366,300 3,450,317 Non-metallurgical 191,694 458,905 New Orleans, Louisiana Metallurgical 93,254 67,506 Non-metallurgical 3,382,029 1,880,389 Norfolk, Virginia Metallurgical 8,087,016 7,917,944 Non-metallurgical 1,523,306 548,185 Seattle, Washington 1,155,684 1,626,952 — US Commerce Department US steam coal exports by continent st Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

India approves $3.9bn coal gasification incentives

26/05/13
26/05/13

India approves $3.9bn coal gasification incentives

London, 13 May (Argus) — India has approved a 375bn rupee ($3.9bn) incentive package to accelerate coal gasification projects , aimed at reducing reliance on imported fuels and boosting value addition from domestic coal, information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The decision is intended to promote the conversion of coal into synthesis gas (syngas), supporting greater downstream integration in the coal value chain. Syngas can substitute for natural gas and naphtha in the chemicals and petrochemicals sectors, helping to curb import dependence at a time when the US-Iran war has disrupted key supplies from the Middle East, Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. The government is targeting the gasification of around 75mn t/yr of coal, to which end it could mobilise investments of up to $37bn. Financial support of up to 20pc of plant and machinery costs will be provided under the scheme as an initial incentive. India's coal ministry in April signed four agreements for commercial coal blocks with provisions for underground coal gasification, taking the total number of production and development agreements to 138, with combined peak-rated capacity of 331.54mn t/yr. By Ashima Sharma Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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