Forbes energy blogger Robert Rapier wrote about the potential of coal-derived ethanol a few years ago.

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One big seller: the coal-derived carbon material that is used in the smelting of aluminum, which in turn is in strong demand in the airplane and construction industries.

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Originally they were derived from coal-tar, the black viscous waste product left over from distilling coal for gas.

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The air force is working to certify all its aircraft to use synthetic fuels made from gas derived from coal or biomass, using the Fischer-Tropsch method used by Germany during the second world war.

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Our enemies would be denied the geo-strategic leverage they currently enjoy, as indigenously produced energy sources derived from coal, biomass and garbage knock the pegs out from under the cartel's control of the commodity upon which our transportation sector heavily depends.

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Energy derived from natural gas and coal-fired power plants, for example, creates more than 10 times more hazardous waste than the same energy created by a solar panel, according to Mulvaney.

NPR: Solar Industry Grapples With Hazardous Wastes

The third selling point: Hydrogen could, in principle, deliver energy independence to every nation because it can be derived using any number of sources-including oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, coal, hydroelectric power and wind.

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