Why Is Coal Considered a Non-Renewable Resource?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 25, 2020

Coal is considered a non-renewable resource because the earth cannot replenish it. Geologic heat and pressure work on organic decomposing materials to create coal. This process takes millions of years.

Coal is used in some areas to create electricity. It is mined and cleaned at the coal mine and then transported via train or barges to the electric plant. When it reaches its destination, the coal is burned in boilers to produce electricity.

The estimated amount of coal reserves in the United States is 268 billion tons. Many states have coal mines, but Kentucky, West Virginia, and Wyoming are the three highest producers of coal energy.