Cook Inlet Syngas

Cook Inlet Region Inc (CIRI) has proposed an Underground coal gasification (UCG) project (LINK to project description).

In a nut shell the process carries air and steam to the coal where the coal is partially oxidized to form syngas. Here's the chemistry (C=Carbon, from the coal, H2O (water / steam), O2 (oxygen), and H2 (Hydrogen):

C + H2O → CO + H2
C + O2 → CO2
CO2 + C → 2CO

The CO (carbon monoxide) and H2 (hydrogen) are gaseous fuels well suited for combustion in a turbine for electric power production. There are some other materials (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane and other hydrocarbons) co-produced with the syngas.

Best of all the energy content of the coal can be extracted without the environmental impact of traditional coal mining.

I look forward to hearing more details (capital cost, $/MW, etc). It's always good to hear about innovation and use of stranded energy resources.