Coal use was common throughout all of recorded history. In Europe it picked up significantly in the 13th century.

As to abandoning energy sources, total amount of wood burned is actually down significantly as agriculture has dominated land usage age. In the Middle Ages for example large tracts of land where devoted to having little forests as a replenishing source of wood, various useful plant species, and wild game.

Less well known energy sources like whale oil and animal dung are also down in absolute terms.