Integration of electricity generation with liquid fuel production is a viable strategy towards maximising coal utilisation and hydrocarbon supply. Herein we report on catalyst design for process intensification and optimisation of electricity and hydrocarbon production from coal. Low temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis with Fe-Zn (Zn/Fe ratio 0.25) based catalysts using H-2-deficient syngas feed displayed unprecedented low CO2 selectivity. Promotion of the Fe-Zn with Cu and Ca afforded Fischer-Tropsch product distributions that are typical of high temperature Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The present report provides foundation for design of iron based catalyst that can compete with cobalt based once in terms of low CO2 selectivity. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.