Editing Fuel

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[[File:coal_sprite_preview.png|right]]'''Fuel''', '''coal''', and '''refined coal''' are three in-game terms that refer to the same thing, any unit of '''charcoal''' or '''coke''', the two fuels used to power high-temperature industries, namely metalworking, glassworking, and [[pottery]].  One unit of either of these fuels is required for every task at a conventional (non-magma) [[smelter]], [[forge]], [[kiln]], or [[glass furnace]].  Magma versions of these facilities do not need fuel, and in fact ''cannot'' use conventional fuel to power them, if their magma sources fail.  Fuel is also used as a reactant in the pig iron and steel creation process ''(see [[#Pig iron and steel production|below]])''.

The two types of fuel are '''''charcoal''''' and '''''coke''''' – both are "fuel". These are ''nearly identical'' for in-game purposes, even though they come from different sources and have different in-game names. Whenever you see "fuel", "refined coal" or "coal" in-game, those refer to ''either'' charcoal or coke – they are interchangeable, and either one will serve as fuel for any workshop activity. Since some understandable confusion can arise over the usage of the various terms for fuel, the simple umbrella term "fuel" will be used in the explanations in this article.   

At the risk of repetition, but to be perfectly clear – ''despite the different names, there is no distinction between charcoal and coke for any workshop-related activities.'' Both are "refined coal" or "coal", or just "fuel". '''The only actual difference''' between charcoal and coke has to do with [[Elf|Elven]] traders – trading them charcoal will offend them, but coke will not.

 

[[Wood]] does not burn hot enough for use as fuel, and (in ''Dwarf Fortress'') raw [[bituminous coal]] and [[lignite]], though flammable, are not directly usable as fuel. Both can, however, be converted to fuel using different processes:

:* Required Building – [[Wood furnace]]

:* Required Labor enabled – [[Wood burning]]

:* Required Material – [[Wood]]

Coke is a type of refined coal created at a [[smelter]] from either [[bituminous coal]] or [[lignite]] (producing either 9 or 5 coke, respectively) by a [[dwarf]] with the [[Furnace operating]] labor enabled. [[skill|Skill levels]] in [[furnace operator]] reduce the time required for this activity, but do not affect the result.

At a conventional smelter, one bar of fuel is required to perform this reaction, effectively reducing the net yield by one bar.

:*Required Building – [[Smelter]] or [[Magma smelter]]

:*Required Labor enabled – [[Furnace operating]]

:*Required Material – [[Bituminous coal]] or [[lignite]]

:*Required Fuel – one unit of fuel per job at a conventional smelter

[[Block]]s of bituminous coal and lignite (sometimes offered by [[trader]]s) can neither be used as fuel nor converted into fuel in any way. They can only be used for standard block purposes – though they are, of course, ''not'' [[fire-safe]]!

You will not be allowed to add any tasks to any conventional smelter until that workshop has access to at least one unit of either charcoal or coke. (However, if you have just one bar of un-used fuel, you can queue up as many jobs as you want – see next.)

When you get either of these messages, you need more fuel – either charcoal or coke will serve equally well.

When [[smelting]] [[pig iron]] or [[steel]] at any location, one unit of either charcoal or coke is required in the reaction as a source of carbon. Again, there is no distinction – both charcoal and coke serve equally well in the production of [[bar]]s of either. This is in addition to the unit of fuel that is needed to power the furnace at conventional (non-magma) smelters.