Is Coal To Gas Viable?

MONTANA, Jan 02 (Neo Natura) - According to the DOE's website on Montana we are actively pursuing alternative methods of energy production. This includes building new hydro-electric sources of power and Bozeman's regional coal sequestration research project. Apparently no one has told them that the last hydro-electric dam built in Montana, completed in 1975, was Libby Dam.

While commercial research into Coal-To-Gas technology continues in surrounding states there are some real environmental and economic questions surrounding the technology.

An essay written in 2006 by Joseph Romm and Ron Erickson address some of the underlying issues related to this not-so-new technology.

First, the process is incredibly expensive. You need to spend over $6 billion just to build one plant, which would produce 80,000 barrels a day - hardly a cost-effective solution when the U.S. consumes more than 21 million barrels a day.

Second, coal-to-diesel requires lots of water, about five gallons of water for every gallon of diesel fuel - not a particularly good long-term strategy in an area that is dealing with drought and water shortages, which will only increase with global warming.

Third, the total carbon dioxide emissions from coal-to-diesel are about double that of conventional diesel. Half the emissions are from the plant, and while you can in theory capture and store that carbon underground, it is expensive. Also, permanent leak-free solutions are not yet proven. And even if the carbon is captured at the plant, you are still left with diesel fuel that is burned in a vehicle and emitted out the tailpipe. We need to reduce our carbon emissions, and coal-to-diesel will increase them. It is not a good use for billions and billions of dollars.

Another argument is that Montana is spending ample time on research, but lacks any new useful legislation to expand energy development.

The sad part is that their tactics are working. None of the bills that would truly improve Montana’s ability to develop energy resources have passed the Legislature. A handful of environmental groups have prevailed over the well-being and livelihood of tens of thousands. I watched our governor’s “energy man” walk in and oppose the first major pro-energy bill of the session, and all it was supposed to do was speed up the permitting process.