more UCG news.
http://industry.bnet.com/energy/10001548/a-microbe-that-could-keep-coal-in-the-ground/
Some bits from it
The bacterial approach itself is only part of a larger concept called “underground coal gasification” (UGC). Companies and governments around the world are looking at UGC as a way to avoid sending miners underground, which often results in deaths. UGC can’t come fast enough for places like Utah, for instance, where a mining accident two years ago left nine dead and is today leading to tougher, more expensive regulation on the industry.
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The question is how long it will take. My guess is that UGC will become important sooner rather than later. Pressure from environmentalists to stop building traditional coal-burning plants is growing, and new technologies like carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) will only raise prices for coal plants.
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Coal itself, on the other hand, won’t change: Environmentalists can’t force its energy potential to go away. All that’s needed is a new way to tap into that value.
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