Published: July 30, 2008 04:10 pm      

Coal-to-Liquids — West Virginia ready to become a global leader

An $800 million investment by mining giant CONSOL could position the Mountain State as a global leader in modern coal technology. CONSOL announced this week that it plans to build a coal gasification plant capable of producing 720,000 metric tons of methanol that can be used as feedstock for the chemical industry. Officials also expect the project will be capable of converting methanol to about 100 million gallons per year of 87 octane gasoline.

CONSOL, and Synthesis Energy Systems are planning to develop the plant in northern West Virginia in the Benwood community in Marshall County by 2012.

Gov. Joe Manchin said the construction of the nation’s first modern coal-to-liquid plant will help to propel the state of West Virginia to the forefront of national energy leadership.

U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said the project will give West Virginia an opportunity to show the world that the state is a global leader in energy issues and modern coal technology.

With the nation in the midst of a serious energy crisis, Rockefeller said the development of the $800 million coal gasification plant tells the world that West Virginia is no longer waiting around for someone else to solve the growing energy woes of the nation and the world.

Rockefeller said the CTL plant will create jobs, meet modern environmental standards and develop the state’s most abundant domestic resource — coal.

U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd said West Virginia has the coal, the brains and the determination to meet the energy challenges of the nation. Byrd said the Mountain State is demonstrating to the world that it intends to be a part of the solution.

While we regret that the historic and resource-rich coalfields of southern West Virginia were not selected as the site of this all-important project, we still join in the enthusiasm of our state and federal officials.

The creation of the nations’ first modern coal-to-liquids plant right here in the Mountain State does in fact send a message to the nation and the world.

The historic announcement puts the nation on a path to using clean coal technologies as a way to address our national energy needs. We are taking an important first step toward meeting this goal — and sending a unified message to the nation and the world — by developing our most abundant domestic resource.

Clean coal technology is a major part of the future of our nation. That future begins now in the Northern Panhandle on West Virginia.

The $800 million project is a historic first step in solving our nation’s energy crisis.