Coal-based jet fuel ready for take off

Energy producers are finding alternative fuels might make more sense. Perhaps we will see some startups on Coal-based jet fuel soon.

Jet fuel derived from at least 50% coal and comparable to Jet A or military JP 8 has successfully powered a helicopter jet engine.

"Because the fuel is 50% derived from coal, it could reduce our use of imported petroleum for this purpose by half," said Dr. Harold H. Schobert, professor of fuel science and director of Penn State's Energy Institute. "We have shown in tests that the mix can go to at least 75% coal."

Schobert said they can produce the fuel, called JP900, by using light cycle oil, which is a petroleum byproduct, and coal-derived refined chemical oil, a byproduct of the coke industry. The researchers mix the two components and add hydrogen. When distilled, jet fuel comes off as a distillate. The process can occur in existing refineries with some retrofitting, and small amounts of the leftover components will feed into various portions of the petroleum stream. The lighter portions will go to the pool of chemicals that make gasoline, and the heavier ones go to the diesel or fuel oil streams.

Nontraditional fuel production such as this will be demanding more engineering and processing, 70 dollar pluss a barrel fuel make such projects more feasable.