Nations searching for secure energy supplies to fuel their economies are increasingly turning to coal for its abundance, reliability and affordability. Coal has been the world's fastest growing energy resource in recent years, and demand is projected to climb more than 70 percent by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency. Demand for natural gas is forecast to increase 89 percent, while oil use will grow 57 percent. High prices for natural gas and oil coupled with limited supplies, give coal - and Peabody - the advantage for fueling future energy needs of America and the world.

 

Given the ever-increasing need for reliable, low-cost energy, Peabody is examining emerging technologies for "Btu Conversion." Technologies allow the energy stored in coal to be converted into other high-demand energy forms including electricity, pipeline-quality synthetic natural gas, liquid transportation fuel and hydrogen.

 

Peabody believes Btu Conversion presents a long-term opportunity that will be increasingly deployed on a commercial scale as other energy forms fall short. New uses for coal could more than double long-term U.S. coal demand, with production reaching 2 billion tons by 2025, according to a National Coal Council Survey.

 

 

Electricity		Natural Gas		Diesel Fuel		Hydrogen
Enough to meet all U.S. electricity needs for 5 years		More than 10 times the current annual U.S. natural gas use		Enough to fuel the U.S. trucking industry for 42 years		Enough to replace all oil in U.S. transportation for 6+ years