Methane burns more cleanly than any other fossil fuel.

CBM as energy source has been converted from a centuries-old mining hazard into an environmentally friendly fuel. Consider that the use of CBM could fulfill national goals, such as the following: Provide a clean-burning fuel. Increase substantially the natural gas reserve base. Improve safety of coal mining. Decrease methane vented to the atmosphere from coal mines that might affect global warming. Provide a means to use an abundant coal resource that is often too deep to mine. The process may be applicable wherever coal is found. Over 60 countries have substantial coal reserves, and most of them are interested in recovering the methane. In Eastern Europe, for example, coal may be the only natural energy resource of a country. The primary energy source of the United States throughout the countrys history follows the order: wood, coal, and oil. If the next primary source is natural gas, a progressive order is noted from the dirtiest to the cleanest fuels. It is in this scenario that CBM enters the market.