Jan. 6--Coal is not the antiquated 19th-century relic most think. The U.S. Department of Energy says 52 percent of electricity generated in the country comes from coal.

Coal products are also used in making insecticides, brick-oven pizzas and even perfume, according to researchers.

"It's a two-thousand-degree fire," said Fred Lacagnina, owner of Salvatore's in Port Washington, who estimates he uses three tons of coal a month for his pizza ovens. "The average pizza cooks in about four minutes; it makes for a better pizza."

Several other pizzerias such as Grimaldi's in Garden City and John's in Manhattan also rely on coal. And thousands of Long Island residents, even in new homes, are turning to coal to supplement heating needs.

"These coal stoves are extremely clean and directly ventable," said Kathy Rella, office manager of the family-owned company Rella Coal in Medford, who estimates her firm has 1,200 to 1,500 customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Rella's customers, such as Middle Island resident Nixon Charles, rave about savings on heating. Before he got a coal stove this summer, Charles said he spent $500 to $800 every two months to heat his home in the winter. Now, he pays about $600 for three tons of coal to last the whole season, and keeps his four-bedroom, two- story home at a toasty 75 degrees.

He said he paid about $5,900 for a higher-end stove that operates on coal or wood, as well as the chimney and other accessories. "I'm very, very pleased with the product," said Charles, 47, who lives with his wife and 12-year-old daughter.

Much of New York's supply comes from Pennsylvania, where anthracite, or hard coal, is found. West Virginia is still the country's second-largest coal producer, but much of that bituminous, or soft, coal goes into the nation's energy supply. About 10 percent of the nation's coal goes into steel production. Officials at KeySpan Energy and Consolidated Edison say neither uses coal for energy plants.

Then there's another use. Rella said she invariably gets dozens of calls around Christmas for one-pound bags of coal to put in stockings.

"They start the conversation with, 'You're going to think this unusual, but'"