http://wvwri.nrcce.wvu.edu/
In a recent dispatch, now accessible on the West Virginia Coal Association's web site via the link:
we made report of a document from the United States Geological Survey, which catalogues some of the productive uses in which our solid Coal Utilization Byproducts, CUB's, can be employed.
One of our core theses has been that Coal Ash is a valuable raw material resource, one which can be used in the making of Portland-type Cement, PC, and Portland-type Cement Concrete, PCC, both as an aggregate for concrete, with the Ash having valuable and additive cementitious properties of it's own, and, as a basic feed into a cement kiln, substituting for some of the limestone and other basic mineral ingredients.
As we have documented, the use of Coal Ash in those applications leads to a significant reduction in the amount of Carbon Dioxide emitted from the cement-making process; a reduction in the amount of energy required to make cement; and, a stronger, more durable and chemical-resistant finished concrete; all while reducing the need to extract natural raw materials, with the attendant environmental disruptions those extraction activities entail.
United States Patent Application: 0110171711
In a few earlier reports, such as, most recently:
West Virginia Coal Association | US Gov Hires Penn State Bugs to Convert CO2 to Methane | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 20090317882 - Electromethanogenic Reactor and Process for Methane Production; December, 2009; Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation; Biological processes for producing methane gas and capturing carbon from carbon dioxide are provided according to embodiments of the present invention which include providing an electromethanogenic reactor having an anode, a cathode and a plurality of methanogenic microorganisms disposed on the cathode. Electrons and carbon dioxide are provided to the plurality of methanogenic microorganisms disposed on the cathode. The methanogenic microorganisms reduce the carbon dioxide to produce methane gas, even in the absence of hydrogen and/or organic carbon sources";
We've many times documented the plain fact, that, at one time, for a number of decades, Coal was being efficiently converted into liquid fuels just down and across the Kanawha River from, perhaps almost in sight of, the West Virginia State Capitol Building.
Union Carbide Corporation, at a couple of sites near and around Charleston, WV, starting in the late 1950's and even up until the early 1990's, prior to their assimilation by, in 2001 we believe, Dow Chemical Company, devoted a seemingly concentrated effort into demonstrating that Coal could be efficiently converted into a wide variety of hydrocarbons, which hydrocarbons included, even, synthetic rubber.
Since it's now clear, as we most recently documented, for just one example, in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | US Gov Hires Penn State Bugs to Convert CO2 to Methane | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 20090317882 - Electromethanogenic Reactor and Process for Methane Production; 2009; Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation; Abstract: Increasing competition for fossil fuels, and the need to avoid release carbon dioxide from combustion of these fuels requires development of new and sustainable approaches for energy production and carbon capture. Biological processes for producing methane gas and capturing carbon from carbon dioxide are provided according to embodiments of the present invention which include providing an electromethanogenic reactor having an anode, a cathode and a plurality of methanogenic microorganisms disposed on the cathode. Electrons and carbon dioxide are provided to the plurality of methanogenic microorganisms disposed on the cathode. The methanogenic microorganisms reduce the carbon dioxide to produce methane gas ... . Government Interests: This invention was made with government support under Contract Nos. BES-0401885 and CBET-0730359 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention";