© Michigan Stove Worx 2012 Design By Promitech  Sales and Service for Heat Innovations Outdoor Wood Stoves Coal Facts Coal is the most abundant fuel in the world. At current rates of consumption, coal is your fuel of choice and can give you the best price stability in both the short and long term. The four ranks of coal are anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite. These are distinguished primarily by their percentage of fixed carbon and heating value. Bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite coals are the types of coal recommended in our stoker systems. These types of coals are the most plentiful with numerous mines across western Canada and United States. The dryer the coal, the less heat you will need to waste drying the coal. Cheaper coal is not necessarily the most economical. For this reason, our recommendation is using a bituminous or sub-bituminous coal. The high moisture content and low heating value of lignite may increase the maintenance required on a furnace and increase the cost of heating as compared to other coals.