B M Drazga, Commercialisation of coal-to-liquids technology - cost savings and benefits, Petroleum Review. April 2007, p 14

In the supplemental fuel world, coal is emerging as an important source in view of its high life index values of 230 years in US, and its wide distribution globally in countries including China, South Africa and Japan. Advanced conversion technologies can gasify over 95% of solid coal to syngas. The typical concentration of 5% hydrogen in coal can be increased to the required 14% either directly at high pressure and temperature, or indirectly by gasification with oxygen and steam to syngas followed by catalytic conversion to hydrocarbons Environmental benefits include the elimination of polluting coal-fired power plants, and the reduction of tailpipe emissions from the resulting supplemental gasoline and diesel.