"Coal formation began during the
Carboniferous Period – known as the first
coal age – which spanned 360 million to 290
million years ago."
- Taking and using coal from earth is using something that cannot be replaced for millions of years. The kind of non-renewable carbon-based fuel usage that last couple of centuries have seen and this century sees is sort of one-off in earth's history and near term future. No wonder Amitav Ghosh refers to this time period as The Great Deranged Age.
- Surface mining of coal for thousands of years
- But in earnest, only last couple of centuries.
Coal mining began “in earnest” in the late 17th century and truly accelerated in the 18th century, becoming foundational during the Industrial Revolution (c. 1760–1840).
- There are many kinds of coal. (A succinct set explaining it)
The degree of change undergone by a coal as it
matures from peat to anthracite – known as
coalification – has an important bearing on its
physical and chemical properties and is
referred to as the ‘rank’ of the coal.
Low rank coals, such as lignite and subbituminous coals are typically softer, friable
materials with a dull, earthy appearance. They
are characterised by high moisture levels and
low carbon content, and therefore a low energy
content.
Higher rank coals are generally harder and
stronger and often have a black, vitreous
lustre. They contain more carbon, have lower
moisture content, and produce more energy.
Anthracite is at the top of the rank scale and has a correspondingly higher carbon and
energy content and a lower level of moisture.
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Coal is a cornerstone of electricity generation in many countries as well as the single
largest source of carbon dioxide emissions globally, placing it at the centre of
international dialogues on energy.
- Two-thirds of coal used today is for power generation
- China is the world's largest coal consumer (by far - consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined)
China consumes 30% more coal than the rest of the world put together. It also
produces more coal than all other countries combined, and it is the world’s largest
importer. This dominance by a single country makes global coal markets very
dependent on developments in China, notably those related to economic growth,
government policies, energy markets, weather conditions and dynamics in the
Chinese domestic coal sector.
Coal-to-chemicals remains a major driver of coal demand in China due to the scale
of its domestic chemical production.
These technologies have
historically been pursued to reduce reliance on oil and gas – mostly imported –
and to utilise domestic coal resources, but they remain energy- and waterintensive and emit significant CO₂.
Coal prices are lower and less volatile than oil or natural gas prices. The widening gap between coal and other energy commodities
underscores the competitiveness of coal as an energy carrier.
Some charts from here.
In terms of trade:
Over 70% of global coal export revenues are concentrated in just three countries, which dominate the market in both volume and value: Australia, Indonesia and Russia.
Largest reserves:
