14. How much of the energy in burning coal reaches the consumer as electricity?

The efficiency of converting coal into electricity matters. This is measured by the heat rate, which is the amount of energy used by a power plant to generate one kilowatthour (kWh) of electricity.

1. The first step in the process is mining the coal from the earth. This process can result in loss of coal and energy during extraction, transportation, and processing.

2. The coal is then transported to the power plant. During this process, some energy is lost due to inefficiencies in the transportation system.

3. At the power plant, the coal is burned to heat water and produce steam. This steam is used to spin a turbine, which generates electricity. This process is not 100% efficient, and some energy is lost as waste heat.

4. The electricity is then transmitted over power lines to the consumer. Some energy is lost during this transmission due to resistance in the wires.

5. Finally, the electricity reaches the consumer. However, not all of the energy in the coal has been converted into usable electricity.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2019, about 38% of the energy in coal was converted into electricity in the United States. This means that for every 100 units of energy contained in the coal, only about 38 units of electricity are actually delivered to the consumer. The rest is lost during the various stages of production and transmission.