Fuel developed from coal can only be a pollutant seeing as coal itself is the highest pollutant. I still see EVs as the most viable option among alternative energy vehicles.

NRDC was wrong.  Along with everyone else promoting "clean" coal.

Fuel farming produces twice the CO2 of oil based fuel too.  And uses titanic amounts of water.

What is left that will provide transportation and reduce costs.  Plugin hybrids charged up on a renewable smart grid.  Plugin bikes with massive buildout of bike lanes along side existing highways.  Electric mass transit.  

Peterbilt has hybrid semi tractors now, add new inexpensive high capacity foam lead acid graphite batteries to make them plugin, and charge lanes on the highway for long haul.  Freight trains are already hybrid.  Add electric rail power.

Give up gas guzzlers, your time on earth is nearly over.  Blast off for Mars, it needs GHGes.  Cheney can be your emperor.

I have been writing to the Montana Gov for the last few years advocating wind instead of his pet project, coal to liquid.  No response.

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

A study from the Carnegie Mellon Electricity Industry Center (CEIC) concludes that while enacting policies to subsidize the production of coal-to-liquids transportation fuel would enhance national security by lowering oil imports, encouraging plug-in hybrids powered by coal-generated electricity is a less costly policy that also reduces oil imports and does more to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Not that I am promoting keeping on the fossil track but I think it says alot when CEIC says CTL is not the technology of choice.

I feel that Mr. Montague's comments surrounding carbon capture and sequestration are largely inflammatory. It's an unlikely assumption that by developing technology to make use of coal in the most environmentally responsible way, we will be abandoning research into all other forms of energy. It's more important to look at a balanced energy policy that relies on multiple forms of energy, both from fossil fuels and renewables.

The fact is, our energy demand is growing. More than half of our current electricity supply comes from coal. Other forms of energy are becoming more readily available, but cannot keep up with current or even growing demands. Coal is an abundant and readily available energy source that we can use to supply low-cost electricity to the majority of the country.

FutureGen, which would work to research, develop, and prove the success and commercial readiness of carbon capture and sequestration technology combined with IGCC technology, which would produce electricity at costs below that of conventional solid fuel plants.

If we have the technology that can easily be developed to make use of our own fuel resources here at home, we should employ it. FutureGen is a common sense answer to our search to meet growing energy demands while respecting the environment. That plus research into other forms of energy like wind, solar, and hydro power make the most sense for our country.