The Coal Research Forum was formed in 1989 to encourage, promote and co-ordinate basic research on coal, coal characterisation, coal products and coal utilisation in the UK. Particular emphasis is given to the promotion and co-ordination of contact between academe and industry and the assessment and co-ordination of resources and needs concerned with coal utilisation and conversion.

The UK National Meeting on Coal Research and its Applications was first held in 1996 and, with the eighth meeting held in September 2010, this is now an established and European biennial event. The eighth meeting, held at the University of Leeds, was successful in attracting over 130 abstracts, 80 being given as oral presentations, with around 30 poster presentations. A special publication of FUEL will be prepared which will include a number of the presentations as full papers.