US researchers claim affordable petrol from coal is closer

Researchers could be getting closer to developing a way to affordably convert coal into petrol and diesel.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky believe coal-derived fuel could be in US service stations within 15 years.

A consortium of researchers at five American universities is working towards an affordable alternative to crude-derived fuel.

The technology has been available for decades to convert coal into motor fuels, but the cost has been far greater that of refining crude.

Professor Huffman said affordably deriving fuel from coal would have environmental benefits, as well as cutting US dependency on foreign oil.

He said coal-derived fuel would burn with up to 90% less emissions than the same fuels refined from crude oil.

The consortium also is looking at ways to more affordably convert natural gas to motor fuels