Properties of Coal and Other Solid Fuels

Coal has been used for centuries. Roman historians describe coal as a heating source, and coal was probably used in China 2000 years ago. Early coal mining was small scale and based on coal lying either on or very close to the surface. With the Industrial Revolution and the use of steam engines, coal became the preferred fuel and deep shaft mining became popular. Today, coal production has reached 3.3 billion tonnes oil equivalent (Table 5.1.30). 

Interestingly, the share of coal in the consumption of fossil fuels has changed considerably during recent decades (Table 5.1.31), above all in Europe. In 1950, coal was by far still the dominant fossil energy, for example, in Europe with a share of 83%, and natural gas was almost not used. Today, the share of coal is only 21%, and natural gas has a share of 32%. Since the 1970s (and ten years earlier in the USA), crude oil has been the dominant fossil fuel. 

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