Nickel: the coal plant that still darkens the carbon footprint of New Caledonia
The processing plant of Nickel SLN in Noumea. Angela Bolis / LeMonde.fr
When you enter Noumea , capital of New Caledonia , you can not miss : the factory of Société Le Nickel ( SLN) , coupled with its power plant spreads its iron structures and chimneys , which spit some days thick smoke tinted reddish. Here, this industrial site is a part of the landscape for 103 years , almost as SLN , the world leader in the production of ferronickel .
Debated in the Caledonian capital, replacing its old plant to fuel a coal plant was reaffirmed Thursday, November 21 , as " priority one " SLN by the CEO of its parent company Eramet , Patrick Buffet, while the company suffered the brunt of the fall in nickel prices . A qualified crisis "very, very violent " Mr. Buffet, who encrypted the " huge " loss of SLN 2.5 billion French Pacific francs ( 20 million euros) per month.
SUPPORT FOR STATE AND LOCAL CRITICAL
Cheaper , the choice of the coal plant was officially born in October by the Minister of Overseas visit on the island, while the state is a shareholder at 26 % of Eramet . Two weeks later , an expert report commissioned by the government has come drive the point , noting that the coal option was " significantly more efficient than the gas option , the difference being about 55 million year. "
More economical, of course, but much less environmentally friendly. Elected representatives of the Territory , almost in unison , expressed annoyance face this reversal of the historical enterprise , criticizing , as vice president of separatist government Tyuienon Gilbert , his " lack of long-term strategy ." Gaël Yanno , anti -independence candidate for mayor of Nouméa, did not hesitate to denounce the " neo-colonialist attitude of the minister who just arrived , tells us what to do ," sparing " methods deplorable " SLN . It has not yet filed his application file, but "means that all permissions are given to it by early 2014 as the site takes four years and should be completed in 2018, under threat of closure of the site " he says.
For a plant with 2,100 direct jobs depend on an island of 250,000 inhabitants , the argument is weight. Besides its role in the organization of the Caledonian electric system: it - alone product SLN 44 % of electricity on the island.
COAL , GAS AND THE THIRD WAY
If the SLN has made his choice so late is that the company has long procrastinated before . "It's an old story ," said its CEO, Pierre Gugliermina . A first draft of the coal plant was authorized in 2008. The financial crisis through there, so volatile during the " devil's metal " collapse, and SLN suspends its investments. It then considers the option of a gas plant . But in the absence of comprehensive energy policy , the only central Noumea is too small to justify imports. And "after Fukushima, the conversion of Japan's nuclear gas economy blew prices in Asia Pacific ," said Alban Tremblier , nickel advisor to the South Province .
If the choice of coal gas face then imposes another track , however, is much less studied: mixed with renewable energy, proposed by the federation of environmental organizations together for the Planet ( EPLP ) . It was not until 2013 that the solar wind and solar thermal are really considered by government experts. To be immediately discarded. The first two do not provide a fairly regular supply and consistent , and the technology is "not mature" for the second, the report said. Fallacious , according to Martine Cornaille , President of EPLP , which ensures that in 2012, " thermodynamic systems in the world allowed to produce not less than 2.8 gigawatts ."
A HEALTH IMPACT UNSUNG
Still, the future plant, candidate for tax exemption , just waiting for the approval of the South Province - competent in environmental matters since the transfer of this area to New Caledonia . This should not be a problem , the community has voted for coal on the Board of Directors of the SLN, it is amongst the shareholders. Provided that the company complies , under penalty of sanctions , emission levels equivalent to those of the metropolis.
In this case , the two main pollutants from the plant should decline: according to industrial emissions of sulfur dioxide would be divided by ten , twenty and dust - however recent from mostly plant and not central . Meanwhile, if the Director General of the SLN says only " 10 % of dust coming from the site Doniambo " and " pollution peaks correspond to the rush hour traffic ," it is not clear what measures the association of monitoring air quality , Scal'Air .
Scal'air believes that " significant increases in levels of PM10 particulates are almost always related to an industrial origin" , is the site of the SLN . "If there were no winds , there would be a blanket of pollution over the city ," says its director, Eric Le Plomb. Fortunately, for most people at least, these winds carry pollution straight to the New Caledonian lagoon . Incidentally, however, by some neighborhoods where homes are close as 500 meters industrial complex.
In 2013, PM10 levels exceeded twice the information thresholds in the neighborhood Montravel downwind of the plant. Once between 2 and 6 am , again with an excess of Red Alert 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. threshold, a weekend school holidays - a priori high traffic hours . The side of the sulfur , which comes almost entirely from the central dioxide , the pollutant has exceeded sixteen times the thresholds of information during the first ten months of the year.
The industrial site SLN view of residential neighborhoods Ducos peninsula in Noumea , particularly affected by pollution nickel plant and its power plant. Angela Bolis / LeMonde.fr
During these episodes, an SMS is sent to referral persons affected areas - health professionals, school principals ... - to implement measures such as cessation of physical activities. Schools have also installed air conditioning in rooms and sealing specific to place children in the event of pollution peaks explains Gaël Yanno . "Everyone here knows that there are problems with asthma , allergies, etc. . " Said the official, who also chairs the council districts of the peninsula of Ducos , the most concerned.
Sulfur dioxide is responsible for irritation to mucous membranes and respiratory tract, and PM10 can increase the long term , the risk of respiratory disease, stroke or lung cancer , reports Scal'air . They may contain heavy metals such as nickel , rated potential carcinogen in humans. But no official information on the health impact is released to date: the first two epidemiological studies on the subject are in progress, and the Caledonian "ministry" of health refuses to deliver the first results.
COMPENSATION OF LEAN
If pollution of sulfur dioxide, PM10 and is doomed to fall, this is not the case of discharges in CO2 with coal, they should increase to 30% when the maximum production of the plant . SLN intends offset these emissions by making the public sector the electricity it bought massively Yaté dam , which could help close more polluting plants .
Mr. Gugliermina also advance recycling " 100% " of coal ash "green cement" , thus avoiding the production of CO2 by other cement . But at present , the amount of these tens of thousands of tons of ash is such that opportunities for cement in New Caledonia are insufficient. Its export is "not clear " , and technical viability " not proven " , as experts note , accusing the SLN to "minimize the problem."
Men at work in the factory of the SLN in Noumea. © SLN
According to the International Energy Agency , coal was responsible for 44% of global CO2 emissions related to energy in 2011. In New Caledonia - which is not subject to the Kyoto Protocol and has not yet law on air - emissions will rise in the coming years to 36.8 tons , according to the NGO Conservation International and WWF . Which raise its contribution " to 2.5% of national carbon footprint and positioned in the global forefront of most contributing populations CO2/an/habitant between Qatar , Kuwait and the UAE ."
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