Coal

Coal will continue to provide a major portion of energy requirements in the United States for at least the next several decades. It is imperative that accurate information describing the amount, location, and quality of the coal resources and reserves be available to fulfill energy needs. It is also important that the United States extract its coal resources efficiently, safely, and in an environmentally responsible manner. A renewed focus on federal support for coal-related research, coordinated across agencies and with the active participation of the states and industrial sector, is a critical element for each of these requirements.Coal focuses on the research and development needs and priorities in the areas of coal resource and reserve assessments, coal mining and processing, transportation of coal and coal products, and coal utilization.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Projections for U.S. and World Coal Use3 Coal Resource, Reserve, and Quality Assessments4 Coal Mining and Processing5 Transport of Coal and Coal Products6 Coal Utilization7 Coal Research Needs and PrioritiesReferencesAppendix A: Committee and Staff BiographiesAppendix B: Presentations to the CommitteeAppendix C: Federal Support for Coal ResearchAppendix D: Data Tables: U.S. and World Coal ReservesAppendix E: Coal Mining and Processing MethodsAppendix F: Acronyms and AbbreviationsAppendix G: Unit Conversion Factorsand Energy Ratings