There are four basic varieties of coal: lignite, sub-bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. All are formed from ancient plant material. Variations are the result of different geologic forces which affect the carbon content and heating value--also the dollar value!
Visit the World Energy Council and see the publication "World Energy Resources 2016 [3]." You can download your own copy, or access the copy under the Lesson 6 tab. The information in this publication is not the most current, but it collects some interesting data in one place that will give you an idea for how coal is (still) used globally as a major energy source.
Please read the following in the Introduction:
In the main body of the report (this portion starts after the Introduction, which ends on p. 49) read:
As you read this, it will help to remember the international definition used by the United Nations for proved recoverable reserves: "the quantity within the proved amount in place that can be recovered in the future under present and expected local economic conditions with existing available technology" (World Energy Council [4]).
Note: reference cases are forward-looking scenarios (through 2050 and 2040, respectively), which does not incorporate prospective legislation or policies that might affect energy markets, including prospective greenhouse gas reduction policies.
The global energy market is a dynamic place. This is but one reason that it is exciting to be in the energy field (hopefully I'm not the only one who realizes this!). Read the following to get an understanding for recent trends in the global coal market.
The EIA and BP publish excellent (and free!) information, loaded with analysis and details far beyond the breadth and depth of this lesson. I encourage you to please keep these important publications and organizations (the International Energy Agency [11] and Yale Environment 360 [12] are great as well) in mind, however, as they may be helpful to you in other courses, research, and your professional life--now and in the future!
Links
[1] https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lignite_Klingenberg.jpg
[2] https://www.flickr.com/photos/stannate/2092270895/
[3] http://www.worldenergy.org/publications/2016/world-energy-resources-2016/
[4] https://www.worldenergy.org/publications?cat=16
[5] https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/pdf/IEO2021_Narrative.pdf
[6] https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/a-tale-of-three-countries-how-czechia-germany-and-poland-plan-to-ditch-coal/
[7] https://www.world-energy.org/article/19838.html
[8] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/eme444/sites/www.e-education.psu.edu.eme444/files/Germany%20Flirts%20With%20Power%20Crunch%20in%20Nuclear%20and%20Coal%20Exit%20-%20Bloomberg.pdf
[9] https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2022-full-report.pdf
[10] https://e360.yale.edu/features/as-investors-and-insurers-back-away-the-economics-of-coal-turn-toxic
[11] http://www.iea.org/
[12] https://e360.yale.edu/