Fuelscoal

Fuelscoal is a term that refers to fuels produced from coal, encompassing solid coal-based fuels, liquids derived from coal, and gaseous fuels produced by coal processing. While not widely used in scientific literature, the term is sometimes employed in industry or policy discussions to distinguish coal-derived fuels from those made from other feedstocks.

Common production pathways include coal gasification to produce synthesis gas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen) which can be converted to gaseous fuels such as synthetic natural gas, or further processed into liquids via Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Coal liquefaction produces liquids such as refinery-compatible synthetic fuels.

These processes produce fuels with properties similar to petroleum-derived fuels but rely on coal as the feedstock. The resulting products can include liquid fuels (diesel, naphtha), gaseous fuels, and possibly solid fuels for specialized applications.

Environmental considerations: burning coal-derived fuels emits CO2 and pollutants; carbon capture and storage can mitigate emissions; overall climate impacts depend on lifecycle analysis and the efficiency of conversion processes.

Economic and policy context: historically significant during 19th-20th centuries; today the use of fuelscoal is limited by oil and natural gas markets, and by climate policies. In some regions, coal gasification and CTL projects have faced financial and regulatory challenges.

See also: coal, coal gasification, coal liquefaction, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, synthetic fuel, clean coal.