We have previously documented the Coal-to-Liquid conversion plans and aspirations of both China and North Dakota.
Just as, as we have also documented for you, China and West Virginia University have collaborated on Coal conversion technological developments, it appears that North Dakota's government has established it's own liaison with China's Coal liquefaction industry.
We alert you in advance to one error: China's "commercial-scale, coal-to-liquid energy plant", as below, is, most definitely, not "the world's only". South Africa Synthetic Oil Limited, SASOL, has operated multiple "commercial scale" CoalTL facilities for decades.
In any case, brief comment follows excerpts from:
"Trip to China Brings ND Closer to Coal-to-Liquid Plant Video
Trade mission delegates say a trip to China has brought North Dakota closer to building a coal-to-liquid plant that could create about 700 jobs.
The delegates, including Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple, visited the world`s only commercial-scale, coal-to-liquid energy plant on the trip. American Lignite Energy is studying the feasibility of building a similar plant in North Dakota. The state`s Industrial Commission has committed $10 million to assist with the study.
The cost of the plant is about $ 4 billion and would produce more than 30,000 barrels of gasoline a day. American Lignite Energy says the plant would be economically feasible with the price of oil at about $37 a barrel. Right now, it`s about $80.
'It is very exciting. If you think about the amount of lignite coal we have in North Dakota, the largest reserves in the world, that opens up an opportunity that would be unbelievable,' said Dalrymple."
The cost of the plant is about $ 4 billion and would produce more than 30,000 barrels of gasoline a day. American Lignite Energy says the plant would be economically feasible with the price of oil at about $37 a barrel. Right now, it`s about $80.
'It is very exciting. If you think about the amount of lignite coal we have in North Dakota, the largest reserves in the world, that opens up an opportunity that would be unbelievable,' said Dalrymple."
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In case you didn't know, we believe that industry and trade association delegates from West Virginia have also visited at least one of China's Coal liquefaction facilities. Certainly, there has been some interaction between China and West Virginia University.
Wouldn't it be wild, wonderful if such technological exchange, at last, at long last, opened up a similarly unbelievable opportunity for West Virginia?