Malaysian power plants are experimenting with coal from Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan is seeking new markets for exporting its coal. This information was highlighted in a recently published analytical review by the International Energy Agency (IEA) titled "Coal 2024 – Analysis and Forecast to 2027," as reported by inbusiness.kz.

"Kazakhstan increased its exports to Europe in 2023 following the ban on Russian coal. However, in the first half of 2024, shipments from Kazakhstan through Russian and Latvian ports dropped by 24% due to weak European demand. Kazakhstan is looking for new potential markets. Malaysia began trial imports of energy coal from Kazakhstan in November 2024, supplying it to Malaysian power plants Kapa Energy Ventures, Jimah Energy Ventures, and Tanjung Bin," the analysis states.

Previously, media reported on the ambitious and grand plans of "Shubarkolkomir," part of the Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), to start supplying valuable and low-ash (ash content up to 10%) Shubarkol coal to Malaysia. Considering logistics costs, this type of coal can reach the distant Southeast Asian country at a profitable price and extraction cost.

Interestingly, in Kazakhstan itself, coal-fired power plants and CHPs in Pavlodar, Stepnogorsk, Ekibastuz, Petropavlovsk, Karaganda, Astana, and Almaty operate on high-ash (ash content up to 41%) Ekibastuz coal, which results in higher emissions and ash that needs to be disposed of.