Did You Know...
Most coal consumed in the United States is used to generate electricity. Coal is classified into 4 types: Subbituminous, Bituminous, Lignite, and Anthracite.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=2670
Subbituminous coal: Contains 35-45% carbon; 47% of US coal production by weight and 41% by energy intensity. Wyoming produces the most.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=2670
Bituminous coal: Contains 45-86% carbon. The oldest and most abundant type 45% of US coal production by weight and 54% by energy intensity. West Virginia produces the most followed by Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=2670
Lignite coal: Contains 25-35% carbon; lowest energy content; 7% of US coal production by weight and 5% by energy intensity. Texas and North Dakota are the main producers.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=2670
Anthracite coal: Contains the highest carbon content (86-97%); rare in the US, only 0.2% of total coal production. All US mines are in northeast Pennsylvania.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=2670
Coal mined in the Appalachian coal region is mainly for steam generation for electricity, coke production, and export.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
West Virginia is the largest coal producer in the Appalachian coal region and 2nd largest coal-producing state in the US.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
Wyoming is the largest coal producer in the US; 9 of the top 10 producing coal mines in the US are in WY.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
More than half the coal produced in the US comes from the Western coal region.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
Illinois is the largest coal producer in the Interior coal region.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
Some of the largest coal mines in the world are in the Western coal region.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
Almost 29% of the coal produced in the US comes from the Appalachian coal region.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_where
During the first quarter of 2014, the U.S. produced 242.3 million short tons of coal, a 1.3% increase from the previous quarter.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
U.S. coal exports in the first quarter of 2014 totaled 27.7 million short tons, a 12.9% decrease from first quarter 2013, but consistent with fourth quarter 2013.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
The average price for coal exports during the first quarter of 2014 was $91.42 per short ton.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
U.S. coal imports in the first quarter of 2014 increased to 2.5 million short tons from 2.3 million short tons in fourth quarter 2013.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
In the first quarter of 2014, the U.S. imported coal primarily from Colombia, Indonesia, and Canada, similar to imports in 2013.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
U.S. total coal consumption in first quarter 2014 was 248.6 million short tons, an 8.5% increase from the same period in 2013.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
The electric power sector accounted for about 93.2% of the total U.S. coal consumption in the first quarter of 2014.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
As a result of a particularly cold winter, coal stocks in the electric power sector fell to 118.0 million short tons during first quarter of 2014 from 148.0 million short tons the previous quarter.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/
During the first quarter of 2014, Wyoming was the leading source of coal distributed within the U.S., delivering 95.1 million short tons to 24 states.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/distribution/quarterly/
West Virginia was the second largest distributer of coal with 16.59 million short tons in the first quarter of 2014, only a fraction of Wyoming’s total.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/distribution/quarterly/
During the first quarter of 2014, Texas was the largest destination state for coal distributed within the U.S., receiving about 23.8 million short tons of coal.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/distribution/quarterly/
During the first quarter of 2014, the top ten destinations for U.S. coal exports were the Netherlands, United Kingdom, South Korea, Italy, Brazil, India, Germany, Turkey, Japan, and Morocco.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/pdf/t7p01p1.pdf
U.S. coal exports to Europe in the first quarter of 2014 accounted for 55% of the U.S. total coal exports.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/coal/production/quarterly/pdf/t7p01p1.pdf
Advances in surface mining technology have allowed the amount of coal produced by one miner in one hour to triple since 1978.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_mining
Not all coal is used for electricity. Coal is used in the production of plastics, fertilizers, medicines, synthetic fibers, and is used in the process for producing steel.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_use
In the first quarter of 2014, only about 7% of coal in the U.S. was used outside of the electric power sector.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_use
Coal is the state rock of Utah, and is found in 17 of Utah’s 29 counties.
➤ http://pioneer.utah.gov/research/utah_symbols/rock.html
Coal is the state mineral of Kentucky.
➤ http://www.uky.edu/KGS/education/didcoal.htm
Bituminous coal is the state rock of West Virginia.
➤ http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2009_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/hcr37%20intr.htm
In 2013, coal was used to produce 39% of the nation’s electricity.
➤ http://www.eia.gov/energy_in_brief/article/role_coal_us.cfm
