If the industrial revolution had run out of coal

efreysson · Aug 26, 2017

I'm in the early stages of planning a fantasy story set in a city inspired by nineteenth century London; major naval power, leading an industrial revolution, etc.

One of my central ideas for it is that coal is running out. And coal, of course, powered early industry. My understanding is that industry and technological development empower individuals and was the final nail in the coffin of the nobility. In Not-London, therefore, with industry winding down there would be a whole lot of unemployment, and landowners would see their chance to regain their old power, clamping down on democratic elements.

Upper class vs. lower class is going to be a big theme in the story, culminating in a city-wide riot, but I would like to hear opinions from folks more familiar with that era. How do you feel a coal shortage would have logically played out?

Marlys · Aug 26, 2017

According to this article by Gregory Clark and David Jacks, wood could have replaced coal. Britain didn't have enough wood to fill its demand, but could have imported more from the Baltic. The higher cost would likely have spurred more energy-efficient technology. They mention water and wind energy as well, but don't go into them in depth. Discussion of 'what if Europe didn't have coal?' starts on page 24.

Dennis E. Taylor · Aug 26, 2017

Charcoal would work anywhere that coal works. It's not necessarily "harder" to acquire than coal (digging deep holes doesn't strike me as "easy") but it would be much harder on forests. My understanding is that England deforested itself making ships. Add in the requirement to make charcoal and now you have competing interests. It could be an entire political sub-plot. Might even fuel the search for the New World much earlier.

DrDoc · Aug 26, 2017

Moving fuel long distances has to be cost effective. Heavy, energy-dense coal could not be economically moved great distances until the steam locomotive was invented. I doubt that moving wood, or charcoal, both much less energy dense than coal, could be any more cost effective. Interestingly, the first 'steam engines' were created to pump the water out of Britian's coal mines. Only later were these engines adapted for transportation.

There are examples of human groups in Africa who entered the iron age but ran out of fuel (wood) and they regressed back to more tribal ways of organizing themselves.

braveboy · Aug 27, 2017

" How do you feel a coal shortage would have logically played out?"

No EPA ?

DrDoc · Aug 27, 2017

Prices for coal would rise and entrepreneurs would go looks for more coal.
Do they find more?
If yes, then forward we go,
if no, then manufacturing begins to decline and people stop moving to the cities.
England could go to war to get any coal in nearby places like Ireland, Wales, etc.
If that fails, then Germany rises as the leading power, and the US not far behind.
But it will all depend on pumping out the water in the mines. If the steam engine for running the water pumps is not invented, then coal remains a curiosity available only to the very upper classes and wood and charcoal become the mainstream fuels. Oil, except whale oil, is still in our future. But if that becomes accessable, then a new industrial revolution, based on oil not coal, becomes possible.

FWIW
DrDoc

GeorgeK · Aug 28, 2017

Remember that prior to the industrial revolution there were class warfare revolutions in many a culture. If you want to have it revolve around coal, that's certainly doable and would not require a stretch of the imagination, but wouldn't be required. It's also possible to have a non-coal based industrial revolution as was seen in Rome before corrupt politicians destroyed any attempt at entrepreneurialism.

frimble3 · Aug 28, 2017

Is this 'coal in Britain' running out, or 'coal all over the world'? If it's 'in Britain', importing it would work - yes, it's pricier, but look at the stuff we import now: oil, gas, lumber. All the world would be blanketed in smoke and noise from ripping up forests and processing them for charcoal. The leftovers would be used in sawdust and chip burners for smaller domestic uses for the poor.
All you need is to buy one generation's time, for the uses of oil to be popularized.

If it's all over the world, I imagine the changeover to oil would come sooner, as, out of necessity, people push harder to find solutions.

efreysson · Aug 28, 2017

frimble3 said:
Is this 'coal in Britain' running out, or 'coal all over the world'? If it's 'in Britain', importing it would work - yes, it's pricier, but look at the stuff we import now: oil, gas, lumber. All the world would be blanketed in smoke and noise from ripping up forests and processing them for charcoal. The leftovers would be used in sawdust and chip burners for smaller domestic uses for the poor.
All you need is to buy one generation's time, for the uses of oil to be popularized.

If it's all over the world, I imagine the changeover to oil would come sooner, as, out of necessity, people push harder to find solutions.

The original idea was for worldwide. But since people have pointed out alternatives to me, I'm going with local. So a war meant to take hold of foreign coal mines fails, and things get tense all over as prices go up and jobs are lost.

If the industrial revolution had run out of coal

efreysson

Closer than ever

Marlys

Resist. Love. Go outside.

Dennis E. Taylor

Get it off! It burns!

DrDoc

Ex everything; trying something new

braveboy

DrDoc

Ex everything; trying something new

GeorgeK

ever seeking

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

efreysson

Closer than ever