Synthetic Fuels
. Synthetic Fuels, liquid or gaseous fuels extracted or fabricated from solid earth materials that are rich in hydrocarbons —compounds containing hydrogen and carbon. Although similar in composition to gasoline , synthetic fuels are not refined from petroleum , but are extracted instead from coal, oil shale, tar sands, natural gas, and biomass (plants and plant-derived substances). For example, coal can be converted into liquid fuel by a process called liquefaction, and oil can be extracted from oil shale by a process called retorting. Natural gas is converted into fuel-ready liquid by using gas-to-liquids technology. Like petroleum-based fuels, synthetic fuels can be used in a variety of applications in transportation, manufacturing, businesses, and homes. Because producing synthetic fuels is more costly than refining petroleum, however, the use of synthetic fuels is not widespread.