The Future of Coal Depends on Coal to Liquid Fuels and High Value Byproducts
S
Coal’s Image S Coal has been successfully demonized by wind, solar, gas,
and nuclear S The average American does not realize how little coal
pollutes compared to just 10 years ago S Many Americans still believe that Global Warming is a
concern and that coal helps cause Global Warming.
Going Green S Legislation against coal will not stop because most
legislators are out of touch with how rising energy costs affect the economy S Rather than fight the green economy Coal needs to become
part of it and solve the bigger problems of energy independence and energy security.
Transportation S Transportation is vital to modern America S Mass transit is fuel efficient but not convenient S What is to be saved in conservation with higher mileage cars
is negated by more travel via less cost $/mile
Energy Density S Fuel
Energy/kilogram
S Gasoline
46 MJ/kg
S Lithium Battery
1.8 MJ/kg
S Nickel Hydride Battery
0.288 MJ/kg
Electric Cars S Americans have come to expect economical performance
from their cars. Electric cars provide worse performance for more cost. S Electric cars still use electricity which is generated from
traditional fossil fuel sources.
Natural Gas S Natural Gas is at its lowest price because it is not being
exported in mass quantities S Once LNG shipping facilities start coming online in 2016
Natural Gas prices will rise S Energy costs will start to rise in 2016 as many older coal
power plants are phased out and Natural Gas rises in cost
After the War on Coal S Coal has rebounded remarkably so far in 2013 making up a
lot of its market share it lost from 2010 to 2012 S But‌‌more and new regulatory burdens make it difficult to
maintain profit margins and keep operating efficiently S The outlook on coal fired electrical power generating plants
is bleak because of the demonization of the technology
Coal Needs a New Image S The Sustainable Abundance Foundation can not only help
coal’s image, but help to make the coal industry more profitable and more environmentally friendly S The more the coal industry is perceived to be
environmentally friendly the less rules and regulations it will be burdened with
Thorium S Thorium Energy Technology provides a path for coal to
gradually transition from electricity generation to liquid transportation fuel production S Thorium Energy Technology has the potential to significantly
add to coal company’s bottom line
Technologies S There have been many recycling technologies developed for
coal ash and individually they are in large part not economically feasible S We believe that with the development of Thorium as a power
generating feedstock for a MSR that comprehensive coal ash reclamation and benefaction is economically feasible
Uranium Extraction from Ash S Extracting Uranium from coal fly ash is a well proven technology
but has never been economically viable on a commercial scale S Thorium has never been extracted from ash because there is
currently no market for Thorium as a nuclear fuel S There is roughly 2.5 times the amount of Thorium in coal fly ash
as there is Uranium (Alex Gabbard ORNL article 1993)
Thorium as a Fuel Source S If Thorium becomes a nuclear fuel source this would dramatically
change the feasibility of recycling coal fly ash S Thorium can produce electricity very cheaply. We conservatively
estimate electricity can be produced at a price half that of coal S This would mean the plasma gasification of coal could be very
inexpensive
Plasma Gasification S If coal can be cheaply gasified into Syngas from the Thorium
generated electricity found in coal fly ash‌ then there exists the possibility of economic feasibility of the conversion of coal to gasoline. S Even coal ash itself contains organics that can be plasma
gasified and make Syngas
SynGas S Syngas can be utilized in many ways S It can be cleaned and used as synthetic Natural Gas and
burned in a natural gas peaker plant or combined cycle natural gas plant S It can be made into highly valuable methanol, gasoline,
diesel fuel, and fertilizer
Plasma Gasification Slag S Concentrates Uranium and Thorium S In 1959 ORNL developed a process for removing Uranium
from slag S We hope the process can be adapted for removing Thorium
from the slag
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Coal and FlyAsh to Liquid Fuels The energy content of nuclear fuel released in coal combustion (in coal fly ash) is much more than that of the coal consumed in the electrical generation process when both Uranium and Thorium is considered.
More Revenue Streams Create Electricity to Power Process Start with Coal or Fly-ash
Plasma Gasification
Creation of Thorium and Uranium enriched slag
Dapex process
Uranium and Thorium Fuel
$ Titanium $
Synthetic Natural Gas for heat or electricity
Iron Aluminum Vanadium
Creation of Synthesis Gas
$ Liquid
Transportation fuels
$ Uranium
Yellow Cake Sales
$ Electricity Sales
$ Medical
Isotopes
Plasma Gasification Versatility S An affordable energy source for plasma gasification opens
up numerous possibilities S Gasification of landfill waste, biomass, sewage, toxic
compounds all converted to SynGas S The Coal / Thorium fuel cycle could help clean the
environment many times over compared to renewables
Thorium Development S Thorium Energy development is vital to the future of the coal industry, our
environment, and national security S Many other advantages exist for the coal industry in helping to develop
Thorium energy technology such as: Conversion of coal to SynGas is much cheaper in pipelines than physically hauling coal by rail, truck, or ship S SynGas power plants are cheaper, more versatile, cleaner, and more
efficient.
Sustainable Abundance Foundation S We would like to form a research and development
partnership with the Ohio Coal Association with the expressed purpose of developing mutual beneficial technologies for the Coal/Thorium fuel cycle S We believe it would be in the best interest of the Ohio Coal
Association to ascertain the economic feasibility of transitioning coal longterm with Thorium energy.