The world needs an alternative energy source. Developing one will not be easy and require capital. Fortunately, the USA is blessed with an abundant supply of coal that can be developed through chemistry to supply the country's gaseous and liquid fuel stocks. To avoid the pending energy supply gap to the glass industry, the author of this article believes the industry must be at the forefront of this energy revolution to ensure industrial furnaces have a reliable and cost effective supply of energy. In late 2003, GMIC (Glass Manufacturing Industry Council) representatives visited the TECO ICGG utility plant in Tampa, Florida. Following this visit, they met with industry reps and experts in the gasifying field. The meetings culminated in the drafting of a glass industry "White Paper" detailing the opportunities inherent in the clean coal gasification process. The Whtie Paper suggests a process to determine optimum alternatives for the glass industry. A gasification "task force" was created to guide the pursuit of this and other alternative fuel resources, as explained in this paper.
