The first section of this course is a detailed overview of the coal industry, including the types of coal found in the US, the locations of coal reserves, and the heat content of the various types of coal. The next section takes a step-by-step look at how coal is converted into electrical energy and discusses several of the major components found in a coal-fired steam plant. The final section discusses the environmental aspects of coal-fired electricity production.

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

After taking this course, the learner will have an understanding of the following topics:

• The coal industry in the United States
• The different types of coal
• The different types of coal-fired steam plants
• The benefits of ultra supercritical coal-fired steam plants
• How energy is produced at a steam plant
• The issues with carbon dioxide
• How carbon sequestration may help the environment