COAL FIRED POWER PLANT.

This site has been developed in response to the coal fired plant that is under discussion and is about to be implemented here in Bali. If you have any valuable information on the project, suggestions on how it can be stopped- this is the place to share them.

A private equity firm is co-financing a 450 KW coal fired power plant here in Bali. Morgan Stanley is the lead lender for this facility. A group of twenty Morgan Stanley people are visiting Bali in the first two weeks of December 2007 to further discuss this project. Ironically this is also the time of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference. My sources indicate that the plant environmental study has been completed, and the group is now preparing for construction.

On the Coal Fired Plant:

Coal fired power plants release over 11 million tons of the greenhouse gas CO2 per year, toxic heavy metals such as SOx, NOx, mercury and particulate matter. This is not only detrimental to local communities and wildlife, but also further contributes to global warming.

Some effects of these toxic substances on human and animal health:

• Mercury is proven to impede neural development in children, and contribute to learning disabilities. If found in surrounding waters, environmental mercury accumulates in fish, making its way down the food chain.



• Particulate matter damages the lungs causing respiratory problems, irritation, inflammation, and premature death. It has been declared a toxic substance by the federal government of the United States.



• Sulphur dioxide combines with atmospheric water to create sulphuric acid, a caustic chemical. Rainfall spreads this acid over entire ecosystems rendering them uninhabitable to resident fish, plants and animals. Acid rain affects countries worldwide.

Bali's electricity shortages can be met by other more efficient renewable methods of energy production. Solar panels are already in widespread use in many sites in Bali, the wind generator is yet to be exploited, the vortex hydropower generator is currently under construction at the School for life at the Kul Kul Campus. All three of these options have the potential to attract foreign investors. IN light of these perfectly viable options the risks posed by the coal fired plant are unacceptable. Here is what we can do to stop it:

• create awareness among the inhabitants of Bali unaware of the project and hazardous effects that it may have



• encourage local and international businesses to invest in renewable methods of energy



• realize that the same amount of investments can produce equal amount of energy



• write a petition to the Indonesia government against the coal fired plant-promote the issue in foreign media



• spread the word, learn more about it, share your knowledge on the blog



• set an example, look at sustainable energy blogs for your own ideas on renewable energy
  
  

With the UNFCCC conference happenning this week let's work together in promoting this subject further.