I know a fella that uses wood and even he says it's a pain in the butt to regulate, I like propane and with a good burner it's very easy to regulate the heat for a simple potstill, I wouldn't try a reflux colum with wood or coal tho.
What size still do you plan to run, will it just be a pot, thumpers, what kind of condenser?
I have an idea, watch the video of Popcorn Sutton called the last damn run of likker I'll ever make. it's slightly over an hour long but very interesting and shows how to use wood the proper way so I can assume coal would do the same without all the smoke if that would cause concern.
Also, just sugar shine needs all kinds of nutrients and ph buffers so I'd go with corn sugarhead.
Keep the OG around 1.065-70 to not have the problems with higher og bite using sugar.
If I make corn likker I usually do 20 gal batches in a 30 gal brute feed grade trashcan.
4" corn
25-30 lb sugar
1/4 cup bread yeast
handful of crushed oyster shells on day 2 or 3
85°f temp or higher, bread yeast will do fine all the way up to 100
Boil half the water and dump on the corn, stir and let it sit an hour, dump the rest and let it cool to pitching temp.
Mix a quart of water (100f) with a tablespoon of sugar and stir in yeast, let it triple in size and pitch.
With those temps it should work off in 5-7 days, the grains will fall when it's finished and rack off the clear beer to the boiler and have fun.
If you have a thumper you can put the mucky stuff in there so you don't miss out on some good flavors and the rest of the likker.
Get technicaland do malted corn with cornmeal and you'll have your tongue slap your brain out sippin it.