Solid fuel is a term given to various types of solid material that provide energy. This energy is usually released by combustion (burning). Solid fuel can also refer to a type of rocket propellant (see solid rocket). Fuel is a material with one type of energy which can be transformed into another usable energy. ... Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat or both heat and light in the form of either a glow or flames. ... A Redstone rocket, part of the Mercury program The traditional definition of a rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving exhaust gas from within a rocket engine. ... A propellant is a material that is used to move an object by applying a motive force. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia is initially launched with the help of solid-fuel boosters Solid rockets are rockets with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). ...

Fuels which are most commonly associated with being 'solid fuel' include coal, peat and wood. The immediate use of all these fuels is for creating fire, for domestic heating (see Wood fuel). These fuels do also have a long history of industrial use. Coal was the fuel for the industrial revolution, from firing furnaces, to running steam locomotives on railways. Wood was also extensively used to run steam locomotives. Both peat and coal are still used in power generation today. Coal (previously referred to as pitcoal or seacoal) is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by underground mining or open-pit mining (surface mining). ... Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... A tree trunk as found at the Veluwe, The Netherlands Wood derives from woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs. ... A large bonfire. ... HVAC may also stand for High-voltage alternating current HVAC is an initialism that stands for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. This is sometimes referred to as climate control. ... Wood burning is the largest current use of biomass derived energy. ... A Watt steam engine in Madrid. ... A furnace is a device for heating air or any other fluid. ... In physical chemistry, and in engineering, steam refers to vaporized water. ... A locomotive (from Latin loco motivus) is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train, and has no payload capacity of its own; its sole purpose is to move the train along the tracks. ... Itaipu Dam is a hydroelectric generating station Electricity generation is the first process in the delivery of electricity to consumers. ...

In many urban areas, ordinary coal, and other solid fuels such as wood, are banned. In such areas, smokeless coal is often the only solid fuel used. In Ireland, peat briquettes are used as smokeless fuel. They are also used to begin a coal fire. Peat in Lewis, Scotland Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter. ... A briquette (or briquet) is a block of flammable matter, such as escaillage, which can be used to start a fire. ...

See also

• Bagasse
• Biofuel
• Biomass
• Fossil fuel
• Wood fuel