
In Lesson 1 we covered electricity use in our daily lives, and in Lesson 2 we discussed the fossil fuel sources (natural gas and coal) of that electricity. In this lesson, we turn our focus to coal. Pennsylvania has provided more coal to the nation than any other State (and we live with the historic environmental challenges).
[Dr. Mathews is standing next to a pillar filled with coal in a room with other coal displays.] Dr. Mathews: You should know by now that I got my doctorate pretty much in this material coal, so it is one of my favorite things to talk about. And I can talk about this for several weeks and obviously bore everyone to tears. But today’s lecture is about this material coal, the true black gold. This is a coal column that is 100 years old. Today we are going to talk about how we get this out of the ground and how we process it and move it around. And the origins of coal; where did it all come from? That and natural gas. [Video ends]

The main energy source powering our modern life comes from the remains of plants (coal and coalbed methane) or phytoplankton (oil and natural gas) that was buried millions of years ago. Coal was a key component in the industrial revolution, its extraction has long been associated with danger, poor work conditions, and death. It is commonly thought of as a dirty energy source. The truth is, however, that coal continues to be a critical piece of our energy puzzle, and will continue to be so for some time. To understand the role that coal plays in our energy system, we'll explore its origins, qualities, examine extraction, remediation, and historic environmental challenges. We'll also look into the vastly improved methods for extraction, transportation, and use — which will explain why coal continues to be among the leading sources of electricity production Worldwide. Its greenhouse gas emissions (specifically CO2) remain a challenge, however, and with cheap natural gas being available in the U.S., coal is being used less. It will, however, be used extensively in China, India, and other nations.
Lesson Objectives
Success in this lesson will be based on the following learning goals:
- Describe the formation of coal and coalbed methane (an unconventional natural gas source)
- Articulate coal mining approaches (underground and surface mining) along with mining remediation strategies
- Discuss coal transportation
- Recognize historic coal mining environmental challenges
Enjoy your trip underground in Lesson 4: Coal
Wake Up Your Brain
Question: Have you ever seen lumps of coal?
Click for answer.