History of anthracite coal mining in Pennsylvania History of anthracite coal mining in Pennsylvania There are two types of coal found in Pennsylvania: anthracite (the “hard coal” found in Northeastern Pennsylvania below the Allegheny Ridge southwest to Harrisburg; also called “stone coal”, “rock coal” in the 1800s) and bituminous (“soft coal”, found west of the Allegheny Front escarpment). Anthracite coal is a natural mineral with a high carbon and energy content that gives off light and heat (produced energy) when burned, making it useful as a fuel. It was possibly first used in Pennsylvania as a fuel in 1769, but its real history begins with a documented
Environmental impact of electricity generation home. Heat pumps are very efficient and burn no natural gas, shifting the environmental impacts from homeowners to electric utilities. Switching from natural gas to electricity in Alberta Canada burns natural gas and coal at about a 40% efficiency to supply the heat pump. In Quebec Canada where electric resistance heating is common, the heat pump will use 70% less hydroelectricity. Heat pumps may be beneficial for the environment or not, it depends how your region generates electricity. Nuclear power plants do not burn fossil fuels and so do not directly emit carbon dioxide; because of the high energy yield