When Americans think of fuel, they think of dwindling reserves of natural gas and oil, and fears that foreign suppliers might cut back. By contrast, comparatively little attention has been paid to another fuel of which there is virtually an inexhaustible domestic supply, much of it in Pennsylvania. That would be the old king coal.

        Old king coal, a name very well deserved it, has been used by humans since the cave man and has long been valued for its many important uses. Archeologists have also found evidence that the Romans used it in the second and third centuries. But coal, the black gold of the earth, wasn’t used extensively for fuel until the onset of the Industrial Revolution, and the need for coal has climbed steadily since that time. For much of the eighteen century, coal was king, fuelling manufacturing, providing heat for homes and powering railroad locomotives. Thus, there is a symbiotic relationship between coal and the railroad industries, which transformed America and the world.

        When coal production paralleled the rise of national powers, this fossil fuel became synonymous with wealth and modernity in the ninetieth century. But the numerous benefits from coal have not been without heavy costs: its use left a legacy of human and environmental damage that we have only begun to assess. Thus, at the end of the twentieth century, coal was no longer the symbol of industrial opportunities and wealth that were 100 years before. Instead, coal was increasingly recognized as a leading threat to human health, and one of most environmentally disruptive human activities. This realization has brought a movement to banish what was known as "King Coal" in the ninetieth century in the United States and Europe illustrating how perceptions of this fossilized substance have changed over time. Thus, the coal’s market seems to be in decline because the price of dealing with coal’s health and environmental toll – the "hidden cost" – is rising.

        However, in many ways the term King Coal still fits. Despite the competition from other alternative fuels such as natural gas and oil, coal is a dominant player all over the world. Coal is the primary energy source in some developing countries such as South Africa and China, with 78 and 73 percent shares of coal in overall energy use, respectively. In the industrial world, coal may not longer be the major source of energy, but several nations are heavily dependent on this fuel as a source of electricity. Although most consumers aren't aware of it, nearly 60 percent of the electricity produced in the U.S. is from coal-fired generators, up from 44 percent in the 1970s. In Denmark, coal accounts for 74 percent of electricity. Even in the recent years coal is getting increased attention due to soaring prices for oil and natural gas, and the threat of a massive energy gap that could be filled by coal. One of the main reasons for this consideration for a possible comeback is the mirage of coal as a source of cheap energy, which continues to be a powerful lure. Despite studies showing the feasibility of switching from coal, several governments and industries are pursuing end-of-pipe solutions to coal-related pollution problems, such as the so-called clean-coal technologies and carbon sequestration.

        The stubbornness of some industrial nations is allowing King Coal to recover, and is now used in record amounts. Indeed, forecasts of future energy use give a prominent role to coal. Some would say that coal is back, and here to stay. But the current, "emergency room" approach to cope with coal has proven to be expensive, yielding such limited results that coal will continue to contribute to many environmental and health problems. Shifting to cleaner alternatives will help the problems at much lower cost. The cards are on the table; it is now up to the world to judge whether continued dependence on coal is viable.