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 on Canvas, under the Lesson 6 tab. This is the most recent full energy report from this organization, who is an excellent source of information for global energy markets. It provides a solid understanding of the development of the global coal market in the recent past.
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]).
The 2017 International Energy Outlook (IEO) mostly provides summaries of international energy trends and projections. The 2016 IEO [6] provides more detail.
As you read this, it will help to remember that the IEO2017 and IEO2016 Reference case is a forward-looking scenario (through 2040), 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 that's not just me!). Read the following to get an understanding for the most 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've chosen selections carefully that I believe best support the objectives of this lesson and the focus of this course. I encourage you to please keep these important publications and organizations (the International Energy Agency [9] is 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] http://www.worldenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WEC_Resources_summary-final.pdf
[5] https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/archive/ieo16/pdf/0484(2016).pdf
[6] https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/archive/ieo16/coal.php
[7] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-coal-election/germanys-long-goodbye-to-coal-despite-merkels-green-push-idUSKBN1AI1HF
[8] http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/en/corporate/pdf/energy-economics/statistical-review-2017/bp-statistical-review-of-world-energy-2017-coal.pdf
[9] http://www.iea.org/