FactfinderA couple of maps of interest, the first showing...

Factfinder

A couple of maps of interest, the first showing worldwide coal distribution and the second showing worldwide oil distribution (with the unusual feature that the counteis are sized to represent their relative proportion of world oil reserves.

http://www.mapsofworld.com/business/industries/coal-energy/world-coal-deposits.html

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/37329

The distributed energy model you mention, in relation to ucg, is obviously restricted to areas where coal suitable for UCG exists and this doesnt always align with urbanised/industrialised areas. At this point in time, UCG syngas is to be used at source and not transferred via pipelines to urbanised/industrialised areas.

My understanding of the UCG advantage for distributed energy is that if say suitable coal for UCG existed in an area where say conventional energy solutions were expensive, relatively small UCG fired power stations (say 40-60MW) would be very cost effective.

Cheers
Dex