Write a note on coal as a conventional source of energy.

Energy resources can be classified into conventional and non-conventional sources. Conventional sources are those energy sources which have been in usage for a long time. Firewood and fossil fuels are the two main sources. Coal is an important fossil fuel that comes under conventional sources.

Coal is the most plentifully available fossil fuel. It was formed millions of years ago from the compressed remnants of giant ferns and swamps buried under the layers of the earth under strong heat and pressure. Thus coal is also known as Buried Sunshine. It is used in all major industries including iron and steel, railways, electricity generation and even as a domestic fuel.

The major coal deposits are found in the regions of China, USA, Germany, Russia, South Africa and France. The coal producing areas of India are Raniganj, Jharia, Dhanbad and Bokaro in Jharkhand.