Until the 19th century, renewable raw materials were the major source of energy generation and material use. With the Industrial Revolution, the use of coal increased sharply and coal quickly developed into a key raw material in the chemical industry, mainly in the production of dyes. In the past century, there has been a consistent changeover in fossil fuel sources from coal to crude oil and natural gas due to lower prices, simpler logistics and the versatility in usage of oil and gas. In view of the limited availability and increasing price of crude oil and natural gas, the question now arises as to how the raw material base will develop in the future?.