According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), burning fossil fuels accounted for approximately 67% of the total amount of electricity produced in the United States in 2015. Coal and natural gas lead all electricity production at 33% each and the other 1% came from petroleum.
The way that coal produces electricity is through a process of energy transformations which are completed in coal power plants. In layman's terms, coal is burned to produce heat energy. The heat is used to boil water to form steam where the steam can physically move to spin turbines; a form of kinetic energy. The spinning motion from the turbines drive an electricity generator