In addition to my wood stove and woodpile, I keep a small stockpile of coal for emergency heating. I'm contemplating getting a bit more and finishing restoration of a couple of wood/coal stoves that were given to me.

Advantages:
- cheap like dirt
- slow, even, long-lasting heat
- cooler flue temperature; reduced fire hazard
- can be stored indefinitely
- very compact
- no explosion hazard in storage

Drawbacks:
- burns best in a stove designed for coal
- not suitable for wood stoves without some modifications
- small risk of spontaneous combustion
- some people find the smell objectionable

Has anybody else used or considered coal as an emergency heat source? How do you plan to use it?

Cheers,
Doug