Sustainability and Resilience

As an engineer originally from Central Asia - a region characterized by abundant coal basins and a historically coal-dependent industrial infrastructure - I've witnessed firsthand how coal has long dominated as a primary energy source for large and small industries. Over the past decade, gasification programs have begun to expand, but progress has been uneven and concentrated in select urban and industrial areas.

Now residing in the United States and studying the industrial energy sector here, it's clear that natural gas is firmly established as the leading fuel for both environmental and economic reasons. However, coal remains operational in certain sectors, and derived products like coal-water fuel (CWF) continue to play a role, particularly for waste coal management and fuel diversification strategies.

In Central Asia, CWF technology found broader application - especially in projects where funding enabled partial retrofitting of thermal power plants and industrial boilers. By installing specialized burners and feed systems, facilities could convert coal slurry and waste into CWF, reducing waste stockpiles while offering an interim energy solution with lower particulate and SOx/NOx emissions compared to raw coal combustion.

In the U.S., from what I've seen and read, CWF usage is largely limited to industrial applications, often integrated into waste-to-energy or emissions reduction projects. This raises an interesting question for our community:

Is there still viable potential for CWF technologies, particularly at the local, industrial, or even agricultural level - in regions with constrained gas infrastructure, or in markets facing energy supply uncertainty?

Europe presents a timely case study. Despite aggressive renewable energy initiatives, many countries remain dependent on imported gas, and the recent energy supply crises have reignited interest in alternative and transitional fuel options. In this context, waste-derived fuels like CWF could serve niche applications for energy resilience - provided appropriate emissions control technologies are implemented.

Would targeted adoption of CWF for small-scale industrial use - leather processing plants, agricultural operations, rural energy co-ops - offer a practical solution for specific regions in Central Asia, parts of Europe, or beyond? Or is the environmental burden still too significant without next-generation combustion and filtration systems?

I'd be genuinely interested to hear insights from fellow professionals - especially those working in waste management, industrial energy systems, and transitional fuel technologies.

Let's discuss:

• Where is CWF still in active use today?

• How has emissions control technology evolved for CWF systems?

• Are there regions or industries where CWF could fill a strategic energy gap?

• What environmental trade-offs remain unavoidable?

Your experience and opinions would be invaluable in understanding how legacy fuels can responsibly fit into modern energy infrastructure.