With some rapidly diminishing natural resources like oil, we face a fuel crisis in the near future if we do some changes. The use of a resource that is abundant in our land, but underused, such as coal, could be the change we need. Coal to liquids process is essential for converting solid coal found within the shell of our planet in a clean and usable fuel. Not only this technology could solve the dilemma of oil goes down, but would also make gasoline cheaper than it is today.
The main process used when turning coal to liquid is the Fischer-Tropsch method. Is a system of indirect liquefaction, and start by disposing of the synthesis gas impurities created by the underground coal gasification. Sulfur and mercury are just some of the harmful substances are removed from the fuel at the end of the process of coal to liquids. The gas is then filtered so that the product is gasoline or diesel that is free of contaminants. Clearly this is a benefit for the environment.
If you've never heard of this process, you might wonder why. It is likely, because many countries have experimented with the idea of coal to liquid, the evidence of their effects on the ecosystem and its budget. However, only South Africa has enough faith in the coal to liquids technology to pierce the commercial sector and the country has been using in some form since 1955. Consumers use its products to feed their cars, and can even be used on commercial aircraft. Clearly this technology is suited to South Africa, particularly because the area has an abundance of coal. The United States has its own reserves as well. In fact, the U.S. has the largest coal reserves in the world, so residents should be especially interested in this technology.
The future of coal to liquids is brilliant. Beyond the interest in reducing gas emissions and reducing the costs of supplying fuel to the car, there are also concerns about the diminishing supply of natural resources needed in our current method of producing gasoline. The coal has an advantage in this case, since there are about 200 years of coal left on the planet, most of which are in the U.S., followed by the former Soviet Union and China. This amount of coal available is likely to increase in recent years as additional extraction technology is created. Until then, the amount of coal that we now can offer at least the opportunity for us to reduce our dependence on oil over time.
Another possible reason for the successful future of coal to liquid technology is that it has the support of both military and many politicians, and rightly so. The adoption of this process would help create jobs in rural areas than coal house, and employees have less risk than using traditional methods of mining. This is because they do not have to enter any mine to extract coal. In addition, most politicians, and consumers are concerned about the environment. The fuel from coal to liquids technology burns much cleaner than current fuels, by what is known as a clean fuel.
In general, there are some disadvantages to coal to liquids process and there is no foreseeable problems that can not be corrected before the process becomes the conventional method of obtaining fuel. The probable reason is that it has been implemented as a substitute for fuel is the lack of relevant information to the public. Countries and even the oil companies that have looked at enough coal to liquid technology have already begun planning for a future that depends more on coal that our oil supply dwindling. While research on the process continues at current rates, coal to liquid will be the key to eliminating our dependence on oil, we will save money and concern for the environment in the long term.