Coal : Research and Development to Support National Energy Policy

by Committee on Coal Research, Technology, and Resource Assessments to Inform Energy Policy; Board on Earth Sciences and Resources; Division on Earth and Life Studies

• ISBN13: 9780309110228
• ISBN10: 030911022X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-12-31
• Publisher: Natl Academy Pr

Summary

Coal will continue to provide a major portion of energy requirements in the United States for at least the next several decades. It is imperative that accurate information describing the amount, location, and quality of the coal resources and reserves be available to fulfill energy needs. It is also important that the United States extract its coal resources efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner. A renewed focus on federal support for coal-related research, coordinated across agencies and with the active participation of the states and industrial sector, is a critical element for each of these requirements. Coalfocuses on the research and development needs and priorities in the areas of coal resource and reserve assessments, coal mining and processing, transportation of coal and coal products, and coal utilization.

Table of Contents

Summary	p. 1
Introduction	p. 13
Coal in the U.S. Energy Economy	p. 15
Committee Charge and Scope of This Study	p. 19
Committee Process	p. 19
Report Organization-The Coal Fuel Cycle	p. 21
Projections for U.S. and World Coal Use	p. 24
Coal Production Scenarios for the United States	p. 24
International Coal Production Projections	p. 32
How Well Do Models Predict Reality?	p. 39
Findings-Projections for Future Coal Production and Use	p. 40
Coal Resource, Reserve, and Quality Assessments	p. 43
Resource and Reserve Definitions	p. 44
Sources of Coal Resource and Reserve Information	p. 46
U.S. Coal Resource and Reserve Estimates	p. 50
International Coal Resource Assessments	p. 53
Findings and Recommendation-Coal Resource, Reserve, and Quality Assessments	p. 54
Coal Mining and Processing	p. 57
Coal Mining Industry in the United States	p. 57
Coal Mining and Processing Methods	p. 59
Major Coal Mining and Processing Issues	p. 66
Coal Mining and Processing R&D Programs	p. 71
Findings and Recommendations-Coal Mining and Processing	p. 75
Transport of Coal and Coal Products	p. 80
Transportation by Rail	p. 81
Transportation by Truck	p. 84
Waterborne Coal Transportation	p. 84
Transportation of Coal Exports and Imports	p. 86
Electricity Transmission	p. 86
Transport of Coal-Derived Products	p. 88
Findings-Transport of Coal and Coal Products	p. 89
Coal Utilization	p. 91
Coal Utilization Technologies	p. 91
Environmental Impacts of Coal Use	p. 96
Federal Coal Utilization R&D Programs	p. 101
Findings and Recommendation-Coal Utilization	p. 106
Coal Research Needs and Priorities	p. 108
Societal Issues and Coal	p. 110
Existing Federal Support for Coal-Related R&D	p. 112
Improved Coal Resource, Reserve, and Quality Assessments	p. 116
Research to Support Coal Mining and Processing	p. 118
Transport of Coal and Coal Products	p. 121
Research to Support Coal Utilization	p. 122
Coordination of Coal-Related R&D by Federal Agencies	p. 123
References	p. 128
Appendixes
Committee and Staff Biographies	p. 139
Presentations to the Committee	p. 145
Federal Support for Coal Research	p. 148
Data Tables: U.S. and World Coal Reserves	p. 155
Coal Mining and Processing Methods	p. 160
Acronyms and Abbreviations	p. 167
Unit Conversion Factors and Energy Ratings	p. 170
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