[Big Dave]

Synfuels from coal are no free lunch by any means but using coal-based synfuels beats importing oil. The US has enormous reservesxof coal. Coal usage could be switched away from electric power generation with more nuclear power plants.

Synfuels also ccould be used to reduce the down sides of biofuels. Synthetic diesel has a very low cloud point and blended with biofuel could mitigate the scourge of biodiesel.

But theres no point in talking about diesels. Tier II/ULSD/ CA ban have pretty much killed diesel cars in the US.