One significant reduction in energy cost was shown to be the construction of coal/biomass gasifier which would produce syngas. The syngas can be used to feed combustion turbines, or used to create steam and power steam turbines coupled to electric generators. The syngas can also be used as feedstock for a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) plant for the production of synthetic liquid petroleum fuels such as diesel and jet fuel.
The task force’s financial analysis of the gasifier option shows an incremental reduction in electrical costs in excess of 50%, and a cost reduction in (FT) diesel fuel in excess of 30%, with locally - available coal as the initial fuel and biomass co-feed at a later time as it becomes available and feasible. Using this energy, the residential energy bill could be reduced by 23%..."
And, note: This is in oil-rich Alaska; and, the "locally-available" coal they would be using is low-BTU, high-ash - relative to WV bituminous - lignite. Yet, implementation of coal-to-liquid technology will result in across-the-board energy savings in excess of 20%.
The "biomass co-feed at a later time" would help with any CO2 emissions, wouldn't it? If, that is, they aren't forward-thinking enough to, as we've documented to be imminently feasible/practical, directly capture and recycle the CO2, as well.