Coal =/ energy. In an industrialized world the coal has many uses, and energy is just one possible use. Coal is instrumental in the production of Steel, one of most used metal alloys on earth, and with Panem's military I bet we find it uses quite a lot of steel to support.
Steam coal - also known as thermal coal - is mainly used in power generation.
Coking coal - also known as metallurgical coal - is mainly used in steel production.
Other important users of coal include alumina refineries, paper manufacturers, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Several chemical products can be produced from the by-products of coal. Refined coal tar is used in the manufacture of chemicals, such as creosote oil, naphthalene, phenol, and benzene. Ammonia gas recovered from coke ovens is used to manufacture ammonia salts, nitric acid and agricultural fertilisers. Thousands of different products have coal or coal by-products as components: soap, aspirins, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, such as rayon and nylon.
