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Coal is formed when dead plant matter submerged in swamp environments is subjected to the geological forces of heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. Over time, the plant matter transforms from moist, low-carbon peat, to coal, an energy- and carbon-dense black or brownish-black sedimentary rock.
Coal contains the energy stored by plants that lived hundreds of millions of years ago in swampy forests. Layers of dirt and rock covered the plants over millions of years. The resulting pressure and heat turned the plants into the substance we call coal.
Coal energy is created when coal is combusted in coal-fired power plants. Per kWh produced, coal energy emits 820 grams of CO2 on a life-cycle basis. It contributes to climate change and produces toxic waste products that degrade the planet.
Coal is a black or brownish-black sedimentary rock that can be burned for fuel and used to generate electricity. It is composed mostly of carbon and hydrocarbons, which contain energy that can be released through combustion (burning).
Coal is a major source of energy in the production of electrical power using steam generation. In addition, gasification and liquefaction of coal produce gaseous and liquid fuels that can be easily transported (e.g., by pipeline) and conveniently stored in tanks.
By studying how coal forms, scientists can learn both about the deep past and about what to expect when different coals burn. Coal forms when swamp plants are buried, compacted and heated to become...
Web overview of how coal was formed, types of coal, coal production (mining, processing, and transporting), where U.S. coal comes from, imports and exports, how much coal is left, uses of coal, prices and price outlook, and environmental impacts of coal.
Coal power plants work by using several steps to convert stored energy in coal to usable electricity that we find in our home that powers our lights, computers, and sometimes, back into heat for our homes.
This fact sheet provides information about coal and the work FECM is doing to reduce the environmental impacts associated with coal.
Coal-fired plants produce electricity by burning coal in a boiler to produce steam. The steam produced, under tremendous pressure, flows into a turbine, which spins a generator to create electricity. The steam is then cooled, condensed back into water and returned to the boiler to start the process over.