[en] The US is at a critical junction. Global competition is now a reality for a large number of US businesses and, ultimately, almost all US businesses will compete to one degree or another in the global marketplace. Under these circumstances, maintaining and improving the standard of living of US citizens requires a plentiful supply of low-cost electric energy to reduce the cost of providing goods and services both in the US an abroad. At the same time, segments of the public demand increased environmental restrictions on the utility industry. If the electric utility industry is to successfully respond to the goals of reducing electricity costs, maintaining reliability, and reducing emissions, fuels technology research is critical. For coal-fired units, fuel cost typically represents from 60--70% of operating costs. Reducing fuel cost, reduces operating costs. This can provide revenue that could be used to finance emissions control systems or advanced type of boilers resulting from post-combustion research. At the same time, improving coal quality reduces emissions from existing boilers without the need for substantial capital investment by the utility. If quality improvements can be accomplished with little or no increase in fuel costs, an immediate improvement in emissions can be achieved without an increase in electricity costs. All of this is directly dependent on continued and expanded levels of research on coal with the cooperation and partnership between government and industry. The paper describes enhanced fuel technologies (use of waste coal, coal water slurries, biomass/composite fuels, improved dewatering technologies, precombustion control of HAPs, dry cleaning technologies, and international coal characterization) and enhanced emission control technologies