Coals energy resource

Anthony G. Fonseca, Ph.D., Director, Coal Utilization, CONSOL, Inc. Member, American Chemical Society, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Extraction (Section 27, Energy Resources, Conversion, and Utilization)... 

In contrast to fossil energy resources such as oil, natural gas, and coal, which are unevenly distributed geographically, primary sources for hydrogen production are available virtually eveiywhere in the world. The choice of a primary source for hydrogen production can be made based on the best local resource. 

An important task will be to develop a more efficient and clean use of fossil fuels -petroleum, natural gas, and coal and the generation of alternative clean energy resources. 

Reserves of Coal - Province of Alberta, Energy Resources... 

For each ton of hydrogen produced from hydrocarbons, approximately 2.5 t of carbon is vented to the atmosphere [44-47], However, for each ton of hydrogen produced from current coal technology, approximately 5 t of carbon is emitted to the atmosphere. Principally, C02 capture and sequestration is a precondition for use of these fossil fuels. However, the sequestration necessity varies, because the relative atomic hydrogen-to-carbon ratios are 1 2 4 for coal oil natural gas. There are two basic approaches to C02 sequestration either at the point of emission (in situ capture) or from the air (direct capture). In either case, C02 must be disposed off safely and permanently. With the capture and sequestration of C02, hydrogen is one path for coal, oil, and natural gas to remain viable energy resources [46]. Carbon sequestration technologies are discussed in detail in Chapter 17. 

Exhaustion of energy resources Consumption of crude oil, natural gas, coal, uranium etc. 

Direct use of coal as a primary fuel is often the most efficient and economic method of utilizing this important energy resource. In many cases, however, certain undesirable properties of coal make direct utilization difficult. Coal is a solid and requires more effort to handle, measure and control than gases or liquids. Coal is usually contaminated with ash and other undesirable components and has widely variable chemical and physical properties. As a result, there is often a need to convert coal into more convenient and cleaner forms of energy and products. Before considering the basic principles of coal conversion, some important characteristics of fossil fuels will be reviewed. 

Table 8.7 Better utilizatiorr of energy resources 1 ton coal corrverted to gasoline fuel-runs 704 km...

Hill, G.R., "Critical Paths to Coal Utilization, Int. J. Energy Res. (1978) U4), 341-49, and personal communication, Ledwell, Dr. T.A., Renewable Energy Resources Branch, Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, 580 Booth St., Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA, KIA 0E4. 

The need for fuel and energy for mankind is becoming increasingly critical, as far as resources and dependability is concerned. The largest known energy resource is coal, with supplies predicted to last for over 1000 years. The predicted oil and gas supply is in the range of less than 100 years at the current rate of use of approximately 90 million barrels per day. 

Zielinski, R. A. Finkelman, R. B. 1997. Radioactive Elements in Coal and Fly Ash Abundance, Forms and Environmental Significance. USGS, Central Region Energy Resources Team, Fact Sheet FS-163-97. U.S. Geological Survey National Center, Reston, VA. 

Coal is an impure rock made of long, branched chains of hydrocarbons. It is often dark and chalky and usually contains small amounts of other elements. Coals main advantage as an energy resource is its... 

Use of the equilibrium results to develop new transactions tables for an energy/materials microcosm of the economy showed a serious economic shortcoming of both policy alternatives. As modeled, the President s policy and the Advisory Council s policy would increase, rather than decrease, the direct plus indirect input requirements of the three basic conversion industries (petroleum refining, electric power, basic chemicals) from petroleum mining sources. Also, both policy recommendations would decrease, rather than increase, the direct plus indirect input requirements of these three industries from the coal mining sector. This economic implications, which evidently was not captured by state-of-the-art econometric models, means that neither policy recommendation is sufficient to transition the economy from petroleum to alternate energy resources see Thompson (7). 

The nation s petroleum resources are not inexhaustible, although its potential energy resources are adequate for centuries to come ( ). These include, in addition to liquid petroleum, natural gas, oil shale, tar sands, and coal. Above and beyond these resources is the basic energy to be derived from the sun, winds, tidal action, and nuclear forces. For the present purpose, no consideration of these ultimate energy sources is required. 

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