Substitute fuels from renewable and nonrenewable resources: a discussion for the Asia-Pacific region

The world nations, have in general, inadequately explored and under-utilized nonrenewable fuels (e.g., coal, oil shale, and uranium) resources and renewable fuels (e.g., forest and crop residues). It is proposed to use these fuels as transition sources of energy until adequate alternatives for the present conventional fuels are developed and commercialized. This paper discusses the availability and potential of the global resources of transition fuels, the available technology to produce substitute fuels, and an assessment of the cooperative research and development needed to transform projections into practice. Estimates of fuel resources (coal, natural gas, petroleum, shale oil, and uranium) remaining and recoverable are tabulated. Data on energy consumption are also included. (DC)