代用炭は主に都市部で消費され、無煙で燃焼時間が長いこと、安価だったことおよび購入単位が小さかったことなどの利点から、暖房・風呂用に急速に普及した。逆に木炭消費量は低下した。コークスの利用は石炭と同様１８世紀から九州で始まり、明治時代にガス事業が発展しその副産物として大量に産出されたにもかかわらず、１９００年代に販売網が整備されるまで普及は遅れた。家庭用コークスは石炭からガスを乾溜した後の残留物（ガスコークス）で、石炭に比べ無煙で火持ちがよく強い火力で燃える点で優れていた。
The substitute charcoal was used mainly in urban areas and spread rapidly for use of heating and bath due to the advantages such as smokelessness and longer combustion time, and cheap price together with smaller purchase unit. By contraries the charcoal consumption decreased. The use of coke began from Kyushu in the 18th century, and although it went to be produced in large quantities as the by-product of gas business being developed in the Meiji era, the popularization lagged behind until the sales network was straightened in the 1900s. The domestic coke, the residual substance (gas coke) obtained by the destructive distillation of coal, was superior to coal in respects of the smoklessness, the long lastingnesss and the strong heating power.
