Energy sources

COAL

What is it?

Coal is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems from the remains of plants saved by water and mud. Over many years, these remains form brownish-black rocks known as coal. Coal is the main source of electricity in Australia and throughout the world.

Coal is used by many power stations to generate electricity. Queensland has a good supply of high-quality coal which means it is not as polluting and is more energy efficient than other coals in the world.

In Australia, coal produces around 90% of our electricity and even though it is a cheap and reliable power source, it takes many years it to develop underground.

Did you know? Thomas Edison's Pearl Street Station in New York was the first coal-fired electricity generator. It opened in 1882.

How does it work?

Coal is made into electricity with the help of a turbine and a generator. Firstly, coal is crushed to a fine dust and burnt. The heat from burning coal dust turns water into steam and the steam is used to turn the blades of the turbine. The turbine connects to the generator which converts the turbine's rotations (mechanical energy) into electricity. The water is then cooled so that it can be reused.

Advantages

Coal is cheap and there is lots of it, especially in Australia. The electricity produced from coal is very reliable and very large amounts of electricity can be produced in one spot. This makes it a popular energy option.

Disadvantages

The mining of coal takes up large areas of land and the generators used to process coal are very noisy. Unfortunately, coal is not a renewable source of energy, once it is burnt it can not be used again, and burning coal produces CO2 - a greenhouse gas.

Use in Australia and the world

Coal is the major power source in every state and territory in Australia except for Tasmania and the Northern Territory. Coal produces around 64% of the world's electricity with many countries relying heavily on coal for power everyday.