ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book describes the first major American energy transition in the twentieth century: from coal to oil. It illustrates the historical roots of the petroleum industry's present dominance, and also suggests some of the difficulty in resurrecting coal as a replacement for oil and gas. The book provides early historical case studies which will leave the reader familiar with the current Washington frenzy over "synfuels" with an almost haunting sense of dejavu. It presents the history of America's first coal-to-oil synthetic fuel demonstration plant, built and operated by the federal Bureau of Mines in the town of "Louisiana" in the state of Missouri from 1949 to 1953. The book addresses the specific and critical issue of the use of government subsidies to accelerate the commercialization and diffusion of solar technologies.
