Coal and Biomass to Liquid Fuels

Abstract

Demand for liquid transportation fuels has been increasing by over 2%/year over the last two decades and is accelerating in the emerging economies which are moving to automobile ownership. Almost all liquid transportation fuels are derived from petroleum, which at the same time is coming under increasing demand pressure and price instability. A high degree of dependence on petroleum brings concerns about diversity and security as well as issues of decreasing CO2 emissions associated with the transportation sector. This chapter examines the potential to use coal and biomass to replace petroleum-derived liquid fuels and thereby to address the concerns that are associated with near total dependence on petroleum-based liquid transportation fuels. The evaluation centers on the U.S. but is easily expandable to other developed countries and the developing world.