March 28, 2007

By HNN Staff, from Rep. Nick Rahall press release

Washington, DC (HNN) — U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV, and other Members of Congress, along with representatives from industry and labor will announce Wednesday, March 28, 2007 the formation of the National Coal to Liquids (CTL) Coalition, formed to help spur development of coal-derived transportation fuels and reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

“I look forward to participating in this groundbreaking event and to sharing with the public some of the many goals for the future of coal-to-liquids technology, particularly with respect to meeting the needs of our armed forces,” Rahall said. “The newly formed CTL Coalition is expected to be a catalyst to this development and I applaud their commitment to investing in this West Virginia resource and to reversing our dependence on foreign oil.”

Coal-to-liquid technology creates a type of clean-burning, high-performing synthetic fuel through various conversion processes, which involve gasifying and liquefying coal for use in existing engines. The Air Force, a huge domestic user of liquid fuels, has already been searching for ways to reduce its consumption of oil through coal liquefaction.

At 93 percent of total government consumption, the Defense Department is the U.S. government’s largest user of fuels, according to the Defense Energy Support Center. Of all four branches, the Air Force consumes the most, at 52 percent, or 2.5 billion gallons annually. Rahall was recently a featured speaker at the inaugural U.S. Air Force Energy Forum, following which he announced that he will participate in a conference this summer in southern West Virginia to boost the development of state-of-the-art coal-to-liquids (CTL) production plants with the newly formed national CTL coalition and the
U.S. Defense Department, in particular the U.S. Air Force.

“The Air Force has recognized that coal can be one of the strongest weapons in its arsenal for avoiding wars of the future. Wind turbines, solar power, biofuels – none of them hold the potential for ensuring the continued strength of America’s military like coal,” Rahall said.

“Clearly, coal really is America’s most promising fuel of the future – and the more we invest in it, the greater an energy asset this natural resource will prove to be,” Rahall continued. “The newly-formed CTL Coalition is one example of how we can give this important issue the attention it deserves.”
Participants at the CTL Coalition announcement slated for Wednesday on Capitol Hill include CTL supporters from the House and Senate, coal producers, developers, labor, transportation representatives and would-be CTL consumers.

Courtesy of Huntington News