The industrial revolution had many factors,
one driver was the invention and mass use of the steam engine with it's coal fired furnaces.
It produced energy, it powered machines, drove trains and ships.
it powered our electricity grids.
but coal produces polution with many chemical compounds in the polutions.
it has left soot in buildings
it left many suffering respitory conditions - particularly asthma.
also coal is a limited resource - even the worlds largest coal deposits are limited.
During the post world war 2 period
steam trains were gradually replaced by deisal and electric trains.
Electricity replaced wooden or coal or coake heaters in homes resulting in cleaner air.
and then came hydro electricity production.
The twenty first centurary saw the roll out of the production of electricity - what we call green energy
or renewable energy production
- solar power from the sun
- wind turbines
- wave power using tidal or ocean waves.
What a dream - for electricity to be produced from natural power.
a dream that is becoming more of a reality.
with large scale battery back up during night time or cloudy days or no wind days.
perhaps there would be posabilities of a grid switching between solar, wind and wave power.
a national grid could link solar power in Western Australia pre peak, to the afternoon peak demand in the eastern states.
a national grid could draw power from parts of the continant where there is sunlight, wind or waves
when other parts are cloudy or no wind or flat seas.
this is very much a work in progress