Research challenge: clean energy from coal

AUG 01, 1978

We must look to research to help us use energy from coal without ripping up the Earth and unduly polluting the atmosphere.

DOI: 10.1063/1.2995141

Bernard R. Cooper

The need for the use of coal as a source of energy presents an environmental problem of enormous scope and difficulty, and physicists can contribute much toward solving this problem. Both coal as a material and the technical processes employing coal present “dirty” problems. The fact is, however, that the complexities involved in this problem create possibilities and need for applied research of a high quality. For example, to minimize the pollution, recent developments often resort to indirect or elaborate means for extracting the energy content of coal.

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References

1. A good reference for a number of the questions discussed in this article is Scientific Problems of Coal Utilization, Proceedings of the Institute on Scientific Problems Relevant to Coal Utilization, West Virginia University, May 1977 (Bernard R. Cooper, ed.), published by the Technical Information Center, Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (available from National Technical Information Service, US Department of Commerce, Springfield, Virginia 22161).
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More about the Authors

Bernard R. Cooper. West Virginia University.