Published: July 21, 2007 09:11 pm      

Coal-to-liquids idea is gaining more supporters

About a year and a half ago, anyone preaching the gospel of coal to liquids as a means of breaking the stranglehold of foreign oil merchants on America must have felt only the choir was listening.

With gas prices flirting around the $3 mark in recent weeks, however, folks like Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., are making more converts.

Next month, Rahall is helping to headline a special two-day summit at The Resort at Glade Springs on what he perceives as a critical venture in converting coal — abundant in his home state — into fuels.

No small role is being played by the U.S. Air Force, and with good reason — that branch of service is America’s No. 1 customer of fuel.

In fact, one presenter at the summit will be Lt. Col. Daniel Millman, prepared to tell attendees what he learned in using synthetic fuels in tests he ran while piloting a B-52 bomber.

As for the Air Force’s overall interest in synthetic fuels, that address falls to Assistant Defense Secretary William Anderson, who will anchor a special panel discussion.

“This issue wasn’t really on anyone’s radar screen, at least on Capitol Hill, 18 months ago,” says Corey Henry, a spokesman for the Coals-To-Liquid Coalition, a group of energy producers, labor leaders and technology developers seeking the common goal of jump-starting the production of alternate fuels.

“But in such a short amount of time, it has gone from being an issue of almost being on no one’s screen to one that has picked up bipartisan support in the House and Senate.”

Henry attributes the sudden focus on coals-to-liquid technology to the rising price of gas at the pumps.

“And we’re seeing an increase in imports of oil from unstable parts of the world,” he said.

“So now, people are turning to domestic coal and how to turn that into clean fuel, made in America by Americans. Oil topped the other day at $74, and by all projections, it’s going to continue to be significantly high for some time.”

Given the shaky nature of some foreign lands, especially those in the Middle East, there is a renewed attention on attempts to create a safe, secure and affordable domestic supply of fuel.

For environmentalists leery of coal-to-liquids, Henry says many offer nothing but negative messages.

“There are people out there who talk about or mention alternative energy and breaking our dependence on foreign oil, but they never tell you how they want to do it,” he said.

“They just denigrate any potential solutions.”

A federal study already has proved that fuels derived from coal are much cleaner in terms of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions, in fact, “any number of pollutants,” Henry said.

“And they’re much cleaner than the imported fuels they would replace,” he said.

Rahall is to keynote the summit at an Aug. 14 dinner.

“His involvement in the conference is really critical,” Henry said. “Chairman Rahall has been one of the most vocal advocates of the need for Congress to support domestic clean fuels. His appearance is very critical for the conference’s success.”

Rahall said he looks forward to the first-of-its-kind conference with “great excitement.”

“This conference is important not just because of the role it will play in highlighting the benefits of CTL fuels, but also because it is taking place in southern West Virginia, where we understand the true value and potential of coal,” the 3rd District congressman said.

“Without question, the know-how we possess can help lead the world in solving our energy challenges. Our national security depends upon it.”

Another key presentation is booked the following day by Dr. Ronald Sega, the undersecretary of the Air Force.

“This is the choice — support clean, domestic fuel production, or don’t do anything and become even more reliant on dirty oil imported from the Middle East,” Henry said.

“We think the choice is pretty easy. We think more people are coming to make that choice, the one that has to be made.”

— E-mail: mannix

@register-herald.com