Coal,long the world's most widely used fuel for power generation,has also been its fastest growing fuel for the past five years,thanks largely to its low price relative to gas.Recently,however,coal prices have skyrocketed worldwide.If it lasts-and there's good reason to think it will-the implications for global gas demand in the years ahead are enormous,as illustrated by US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Joseph Kelliher's assertion that the stage has been set for another US"dash to gas"-even before that country adopts any controls on carbon emissions of the type that are adding to coal's prospective competitive problems in Europe(WGI Feb.20,p7).
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