Coal is a black or brown sedimentary rock composed mostly of carbon and hydrocarbons. It forms from dead plant matter that is buried deep underground over millions of years and undergoes heat and pressure. Burning coal releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants and byproducts that contribute to issues like global warming and acid rain. While coal is inexpensive and abundant, it is also non-renewable and mining and using it damages the environment.

1. Coal

2. Definition of energy. “Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock composed mostly of carbon and hydrocarbons. It is the most abundant fossil fuel produced in the United States. “ “Coal is a nonrenewable energy source because it takes millions of years to create. The energy in coal comes from the energy stored by plants that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, when the Earth was partly covered with swampy forests. “ “For millions of years, a layer of dead plants at the bottom of the swamps was covered by layers of water and dirt, trapping the energy of the dead plants. The heat and pressure from the top layers helped the plant remains turn into what we today call coal.” commons.wikimedia.org Energy adminastration demonstration. "Coal." EIA energy kids. Energy information adminastration. Web. 16 Dec. 2009. <http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics>.

3. How it works This diagram shows how coal is refined. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/...

4. Advantages Disadvantages it is Non-renewable and fast depleting; high coal transportation costs, especially for countries with no coal resources and hence will require special harbours for coal import and storage. Coal storage cost is high especially if required to have enough stock for few years to assure power production availability. burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, that had been stored in the earth for millions of years, contributing to global warming. it leaves behind harmful by-products upon combustion, thereby causing a lot of pollution; mining of coal leads to irreversible damage to the adjoining environment; Mining and burning of coal pollutes the environment, causes acid rain and ruins all living creature's lungs. It will eventually run out. Easily combustible, and produces high energy upon combustion helping in locomotion and in the generation of electricity and various other forms of energy; Widely and easily distributed all over the world; Comparatively inexpensive due to large reserves and easy accessibility Good availability Inexpensive Very large amounts of electricity can be generated in one place using coal, fairly cheaply. Enegyadminastration demonstration. "Coal." EIA energy kids. Energy information adminastration. Web. 16 Dec. 2009. <http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=coal_home-basics>. EditDelete "What are the advantages and disadvantages of using coal to generate electricity?" Wikianswers. Web. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_using_coal_to_generate

5. Coal companies Grande Cache Coal Corporation

6. Would we lobby? We would not because coal is dirty. Coal pollutes the enviroment. We believe that solar and wind is the way to go.