COAL: GETTING THE ENERGY

They synthesized gasoline from coal. The process produces both heating gas and petroleum liquids. America's gigantic coal deposits (1.5 trillion tons) suffice for many centuries, and the demand for high sulfur content coal is rapidly decreasing because of air pollution constraints when it is burned directly as a fuel. But the production of synthetic gas and petroleum products is at present negligible; the Department of the Interior estimates that it will not begin to play a role until 1980, when it will mainly be used to supplement the natural gas shortage if present trends continue.

But why should present trends continue? The conversion efficiency 70% to 80%—is quite high, as energy conversion goes, and pollution can be kept within tolerable limits, far below what is possible in using coal as a fuel directly. True, the process is more costly (about $1 per 1,000 cubic feet of gas) than importing fuels from overseas, especially if deep mine coal rather than strip mine coal is used. But not as costly as becoming an Arab colony. The first US pilot plant for coal gasification (not for gasoline synthesis) is now in operation in Chicago. One of the problems is to increase the heating value of the synthetic gas (converting the methanates to methane) in a commercially feasible process. Success would mean a 500 years' supply of "natural" gas at present rates of demand.