It's not about how many notes you have to write for something like this, though keeping timelines or notes on technologies can be substantial to organize a technology TL, but about the number of sources and even math you need to do. As an example with Eyes, for later posts it wasn't unheard of for a post to involve needing to process and dissect a bunch of 100-300 page NTRS documents or the like.
Solar Dreams: a history of solar energy (1878 - 2025)
- Thread starter ScorchedLight
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- chile mouchot solar energy
There's no direct relation, although I'd say that since adopting the note taking method (first seen in the ADA chapter), there is a slight correlation between the chapter length and the amounts of notes I take.
It usually starts with the ideas I wish to advance on the story (for example: the adoption and development of solar energy in an economically disadvantaged context with Tahira), then a bio of the characters (including details which don't make it into the story, but influence their relationships), and the spaces in which story take place. These usually take about four pages in my A5 notebook.
Then there's the historical context research, which is done in an amateurish fashion as I know little about formal historical research but serves to give context to the place in which the story takes place. Biographies of the countries leaders, the local authorities, international relations and economic data are gathered here and pondered to see how they would interact with the changes in place. It could take about three pages, usually.
Then there's the mathematical and technical analysis. The render of the MTE was the result of about three pages of calculations.
And finally, I write the story beats. Which are usually two or three pages.
So ~8-12 pages per chapter. Two ink refills with an adapter, or 1.6 ml of ink.*
However, this will be different because I have to research and analyse:
- An hypothetical second term for Balmaceda, abd the political context post TSC massacre.
- The thermodynamics of a Silica based phase-change battery, the thermal energy requirements of copper smelting, the state of the art in the 1890s, and extrapolating how the application of direct or indirect high temperatures might affect smelting techniques.
- Economic dato on Chile and the world in the 1890s, and a bit of marginalist analysis of a reduction of demand of coal as a result of industrial and domestic solar production.Here the site Memoria Chilena is a lifesaver.
Each of these would be a chapter on their own, but given the topic for this specific story, they are intertwined in a way that requires more preparation than usual.
So I am thinking I might write double the amount of pages I'm used to. I might even exhaust the inkwell I've used for almost two years now (which is still good for three refills, at least).
This is also very important. Without running the numbers, it's tempting to write about what you want to be true instead of what could actually happen. It would quickly lead to ASB territory.
*: incidentally, if you write by hand, I absolutely recommend using a fountain pen and good quality paper.
It's really cool seeing the "behind the scenes" of a technology timeline like this. I have massive respect for the people able to go to that much effort to tell a good story. As interesting as the material is, doing dozens of hours of research in my spare time would tax me badly.
It's inspiring how you're going so far as to make 3D models for your world. And thank you for the man as a size comparison. But holy shit that is a TALL structure, and I expect that big metal frame is a huge part of the CapEx. How can small farms afford such an erection?
Wind mills like that for wells were pretty common on American western farms: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/windmills-water-pumping-museum-indiana
I knew about those rural windmills, but I figured they were relatively small, dozen meters maybe. The steel framing in that render looks like some really heavy-duty stuff, am I just vastly overestimating the cost of building such a metal structure?
Also: The update notes that diesel trucks "were rare during the rebound after the Hygroscopic Crisis" - so either they were common before it and fell out of favor rapidly, or the rebound era was when they were first getting any use at all. The phrasing suggests the former, but I can't see what circumstances would lead to that.
Probably, yeah. That looks to be about a 30 ft tower, which would be about the same size as some of the common 8-12 foot windmills were on.
The base looks to be about 10 ft, the top is maybe...2 ft? So a solid panel up one side would be about 30 ft * (0.5)* (10 ft+2 ft) = 180 ft^2. Assume it's a quarter inch thick, and noting that it's not a solid panel but instead maybe a 90% hollow truss/lattice structure, and that is a volume of about 10 liters per side, for ~43 liters overall. Call it 40, and that'd be about 340 kg of steel at 8 kg/L. Price of steel per here gives about $1.4/100 lbs in 1910, so the steel cost of the structure would be about $10 in 1910s money. Forming, cutting, hole-punching, shipping, and then erecting the tower would cost more, much more than the raw per-lb cost of the steel materials but this is in line with the historical cost of water-pumping windmills per here:
"1904 - Aermotor catalogs listed a wide range of accessories, such as hand pumps, wood and metal tanks, equipment for power mills, such as feed cutters, power saws, corn shellers and numerous specialty items. With their revolutionary mass production methods, Aermotor was able to reduce the price of windmills to about 1/6th of the previous price, 8ft. windmills then sold for about $25 and 20ft. mills for about $300."
$300 in 1904 is about $10,500 today. Pricy, but by no means out of line for a critical piece of farm equipment--indeed, maybe even on the cheap side!
This TL is one of the things that 'forces' me to keep my studying habits and refresh my knowledge of topics I am not putting in practice since graduating a few years ago. It's a good way to keep the mind active in a time when most of the things I do are in autopilot or don't require learning or imagining things.
As for the 3D art, it's also a good exercise for my work. I somehow became a 3D artist as my main source of income, and to be any good at it I need to constantly practice and find ways to make my work better. The aeromotor project (which took about a day from start to final rendering) helped me put some new techniques into practice which I've now incorporated into my regular work.
The windmill (I kinda dislike this term. It's not like it's milling anything. It's a turbine that extract work from a moving fluid) is an extrapolation of existing designs, just with a larger rotor and sturdier construction.
One interesting thing about the Aeromotor-style rotor is that it's more efficient than modern wind turbine-style rotors at the height they typically operate. They work better for the rather turbulent air near the surface.
In Blender, the tower itself has a height of 19.5 m, a base of 4.075 m, and its volume totals 1.6 m3. This gives a weight of 12,800 Kg.
The thickness of the sheet is 1 cm, which is a bit too much but looked better in the render. With 5 mm, the weight should be halved to 6,400 Kg.
The rotor has a diameter of 7.825 m, which is about 33% larger than anything the Aeromotor Company ever produced in OTL. A modern turbine of that diameter is rated to produce 10 KW of energy.
It'll be fun to see the economic impact of these in the long term.
There's nothing to add other than this is a remarkable calculation based on reasonable assumptions and a good estimate on the size. Awesome!
Thanks, I appreciate that.
What's to add would be me figuring out why I was off by a factor of 40 or so in mass but I'd need to poke that when my wife isn't using the laptop for Talos Principle.
Mini update: Solar Heat in the copper refining process
After making the calculations, to process a ton of copper from ore to final product using a pyrometallurgical process, you need around 22 Gj of energy, which is bellow the minimum daily energy production of the MTE devices (33 Gj).
Even accounting for losses, less than a hundred of these devices could provide the energy and heat needed by the entire national production in the 1890s.
And what's more, the application of concentrated solar heat would drastically change the way copper needs to be processed. Grinding, which consumes a lot of energy, wouldn't be needed and could even be counterproductive (more area/volume ratio for smaller pieces means more energy loss dye to blackbody radiation). With a correct modulation of temperature, it might even simplify the processes which require high temperatures.
Effectively, it's applying heat directly to the ore, instead of exchanging heat through flue gasses like in fuel-powered processes.
Storywise this won't be immediately adopted, but the implications for metal refining in sunny areas are perplexing.
Even accounting for losses, less than a hundred of these devices could provide the energy and heat needed by the entire national production in the 1890s.
And what's more, the application of concentrated solar heat would drastically change the way copper needs to be processed. Grinding, which consumes a lot of energy, wouldn't be needed and could even be counterproductive (more area/volume ratio for smaller pieces means more energy loss dye to blackbody radiation). With a correct modulation of temperature, it might even simplify the processes which require high temperatures.
Effectively, it's applying heat directly to the ore, instead of exchanging heat through flue gasses like in fuel-powered processes.
Storywise this won't be immediately adopted, but the implications for metal refining in sunny areas are perplexing.
Definitely very awesome! Always love seeing how much work you put into this. You're an inspiration to us all!
To be honest, if just 100 devices could process the entire yearly load of Chile's copper, that sounds absurdly scalable.
What would much lower global copper prices do to the mass market in the 20s and 30s? There are the obvious military applications, but I'm sure cheap, widespread copper could send the price of early consumer electronics falling, at least by a bit.
Of course as you mentioned there's just far less need for human work in the entire process as you've outlined it, which should free up significant chunks of the previously copper-refining workforce to fill new roles. Or just lead to mass unemployment and social strife, who knows?
Thanks!
The surprisingly low number of devices needed is in part the result of low production due to low copper prices at the time, - it's a desperate move by Balmaceda and his successor to get some of the nitrate revenue lost to avoid war with the British Empire - which didn't exceed 25,000 tonnes annually in the 1890s.
The immediate and obvious effect is a decrease in the variable cost of production for copper prices. As Chile currently lacks the capacity to increase the production to the point in which it could affect the market prices (the US produced anywhere between 8 and 12 as much as Chile at the time), the international prices shouldn't change as much, meaning the solar-powered Chilean industry will be comparatively more profitable than other players.
In the long run, history should play as OTL, with copper exports becoming one of the pillars of revenue for Chile. Even if ITTL copper prices are lower due to different processing methods and increased production, it should still favour Chile because the factors that result in lower prices can't be replicated in many places.
Another consideration is that the energy advantage of the Atacama desert isn't just confined to the mining sector. Any factory would enjoy the same benefit, which will result in a more sophisticated industry on the region than in OTL.
The economic impact can be better understood if compared with OTL. I'm currently scanning a few papers and essays on the early copper industry in Chile, taken from this site:
Inicios de la industria en Chile (1860-1930) - Memoria Chilena
Durante la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, la economía chilena tuvo dos grandes ciclos expansivos ligados a la exportación de determinados productos a los mercados mundiales. En las décadas de 1850 y 1860, el crecimiento económico tuvo directa relación...
www.memoriachilena.gob.cl
Woohoo, copper! This and Reach For The Skies are my favorite timelines right now - The late 1800s were just a wild time, and the early 1900s even more so, so changing things up in crazy ways like this is even a great way to look at what things haven't changed - The human aspects, and how surprisingly modern life was in some places. Waiting eagerly for the next part, and also fantasizing about building solar boilers at home...
30: The glow in the desert
September 1893
Santiago, Chile
I
Eusebio Lillo still had trouble digesting the fact that he was the President, reflecting over the first cup of coffee. He was planning in retiring after being minister for his friend José Manuel, to dedicate his life to poetry and the arts. To reconnect to the young man that once re-wrote the National Anthem, and to spend the end of his life in comfort.
But duty had plans, too. His friend José Manuel, the former President, had left an unfinished work and asked him to complete it. And so he ran, winning against the Radicals who had stepped to fill the vacuum left by the murderous Conservatives. If there was any consolation for the ruin the Conservatives brought to the country by inviting the wrath - and the greed - of the British Empire, at least coordinating with Congress became easier. A solid Liberal majority, with a minority led by the Radicals who only disagreed in the depth of the investment plans started by Balmaceda.
How would the country fare without the nitrate wealth? Even after Congress approved his plan to prospect and nationalize every mineral deposit that could be discovered, the only viable alternative, at least in the short term, was copper. Copper, whose value had been low for a few decades, which might be enough to pay the debts incurred in the war and keep the government working, but... how much would be left to grow and invest? Perhaps that Frenchman would deliver on his promises on removing energy costs from the equation. If so, perhaps it'd give the nation some room to breathe. If.
The door knocked. The Presidential Office became a real space again, the idle speculation gave way to the matters his position attended, and his mind focused on the first appointment of the day. The first one of which was a reunion with the Venezuelan Consul, a folk of so little presence whose name he had to recheck from his notebook. Alberto de Villé. A tedious, unremarkable man who somehow got a position in his country's diplomatic corps. But tedious as it was, the work needed to be done as professionally as possible.
- "Joaquín, please take a seat and grab some coffee. Consider it an intelligence gathering operation, since it was a gift from the Colombian Ambassador." - Eusebio said, playfully.
- "Oh, I'll have to write a report about this." Joaquin Armendariz said. "We can't let our neighbours win this important war!" - And there it was: the Venezuelan just didn't know when to stop. He asked entirely too many irrelevant questions and said too many irrelevant things, such as a comment about Eusebio's poetry which only extended the meeting unnecessarily.
- "But tell me Joaquín, what can I do to help you and the people of Venezuela?" - Eusebio said, once it became clear that the Consul wouldn't state his business without prompt.
- "Oh" - that sound somehow came out insulting - "We'd like to know if the Republic of Chile would act as mediator between the Republic of Venezuela and the British Empire."
- "So your namesake is planning on pushing the issue of the Essequibo?" - Eusebio Lillo said, to the point.
- "Indeed. Gold and oil has been discovered in the region, and those resources belong to the People of Venezuela. We're asking or Chilean brothers because we see this as an opportunity to strengthen Latin American union and independence. And the Venezuelan people won't forget. Those resources will help Chile regain their nitrate fields."
- "... I see." - Eusebio said, just to sound natural. He knew the Consul wasn't a smart man, he needed a moment to process the sheer absurdity of what he was proposing. Chile still had British ships on its ports, and was heavily involved with British capitals even outside the Nitrate industry. It wouldn't be a fair arbitrator, and that Joaquin de Ville didn't take that into consideration just baffled Eusebio Lillo. He made a quick, discreet note reminding him to ask Joaquin Crespo Torres for a replacement as soon as possible. - "I don't know if we can fulfill the needs of an impartial arbiter in the case."
- "Why not?" - The Consul asked.
And the President, in his most diplomatic tone, answered.
- "Well, I understand where you are coming from. Perhaps it was unwise to ask you, but we genuinely think this would be a good way to strengthen the relationships of the nations of South America."
- "Perhaps you should expand your views. America is a large continent, and we should aim to strengthen the relationships with all our neighbours, including those beyond Latin America."
- "What are you implying?" - Joaquin de Ville asked.
- "Well, if there's one country that could match the British Empire in the world's stage, that's probably the United States. They share a history with the English people, and are connected to us as well. So I think that they would be a far better fit for your needs, and those of the British Empire as well." - Eusebio answered, hoping it would put an end to the matter.
To his surprise, it did. And with that the rest of the meeting went out down as boring routine. Eusebio practically counted the minutes for it to end.
II
It ended, eventually. And after that came a reunion Eusebio was actually looking forward. Edward Strobel, the Envoy Extraordinary of the United States, was a man who stood in contrast to Joaquin de Ville... and to the little imp, Patrick Egan.
- "I know this isn't the most diplomatic thing to say, but I think you'd like to know that Patrick Egan has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy, and will see time behind bars."
- "Is that so? I would toast to that, as undiplomatic as it may seem."
- "I'd rather not, I've been feeling under the weather these days, and I'm not planning on taking chances with a drink."
- "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Does that mean that you won't be coming with us to the inauguration of the copper plant?"
- "I must remain here for the time being" - The Southener sighed with disappointment. - "But I really wanted to see the advancements Dr. Mouchot is achieving in the desert."
- "We'll make sure to bring plenty of documents for you, Henry."
- "Please, do that. That climate control unit your administration gifted the Embassy... it's really convinced the naysayers in our staff. It has even reached the ears of President Cleveland."
- "Has it, now? And what's the opinion of my counterpart in Washington?" - Eusebio asked, feeling an unexpected surge of national pride.
- "There's nothing official yet, but President Cleveland would like to establish a channel of technological cooperation between our countries. We know that Goyenechea and Cottrell have both aggressively patented most of the advances associated to solar energy generation, but maybe Chile and the United States can reach some sort of trade agreement regarding tariffs and licensing of the technologies."
- "Tariffs and licensing in exchange for what?" - Lillo asked.
- "That's up to you. I could do some suggestions, but Mr. Cleveland said that it'd be better if you named your terms. However, if I had to suggest something, maybe it could be assistance in the development of rail infrastructure."
- "That sounds like an exceedingly generous offer. One that we'd be fools to not consider. I'll gather my cabinet after the visit to discuss this matter. However, there's one thing you need to consider: the technology doesn't belong to the Chilean State. It's in the private hands of the Franco-Chilena and Isidora Goyenechea. We could discuss tariffs and even subsidies, but we can't outright provide something that isn't ours."
- "Nevertheless, the Chilean State is in control of the tariffs and taxes which affect these devices. If we can't command what private businesses can do, we can at least poke them in a direction."
- "That's all we ask. This exchange will greatly benefit our two nations, and will benefit us as equals."
As equals.
Eusebio remembered the arrogance of Egan, and the difference with Strobel was refreshing. The meeting went smoothly after that, and only ended in a bit of awkwardness when the President mentioned the intentions of Venezuela to seek a representative on its dispute. That it wasn't quite a faux pas - indeed, it wasn't even a violation of protocol - made it somehow worse. The US Ambassador made some awkward gestures to relay this information to his superior.
III
Eusebio signed the last document of the day - authorizing Manuel Baquedano, the former Commander in Chief to act as a negotiator between the general strike and the wool exporting companies - and his day ended. He put the down his pen and got out of the Presidential Office, soon leaving La Moneda as the last rays of sun warmed Santiago. Surrounded by his discreet security detail, he walked the short distance between the Presidential Palace and his home. Nothing had changed in the city, not really. A few palaces had gone up, and a few buildings were rising over four stories tall, but Santiago had been growing ever since he was a boy. The sights were the same, as were the sounds.
Or so he thought. The faint murmur of Stirling engines coming from the roofs of some houses wasn't there before. The solar-powered devices extracting the last watts of energy from the dying light. A subtle change, for now. But one that was already impacting the way people lived. Fewer fires were reported last year, and heated water stopped being a luxury for thousands as Mouchot's devices became widespread. Eusebio himself had started a habit of taking a warm bath each night, and the hot water was just there when he needed. No need to start a boiler or call an operator.
The shadow of Agustin Mouchot laid long. The man had gambled on an unorthodox idea, and succeeded so far. It had catapulted Chile to an unlikely place of leadership, of which Eusebio still struggled to grasp its importance. And now the Frenchman had doubled down on the gamble, putting the destiny of the nation in his theories. If Mouchot was right, then Chile had a wealth that dwarfed even the nitrate deposits. If he was wrong, it would lead the country to ruin.
Eusebio took that bath, but this time he couldn't relax as he felt the warm water.
IV
The President instructed his Interior Minister Joaquin Godoy, for one last time before boarding the train that would move them to Almonte, to monitor the strike in Punta Arenas and keep a close eye on the Army troops deployed to keep order. The situation was calm at the moment, but neither the workers nor the business owners were willing to negotiate. It was only a matter of time before someone made a mistake, and Lillo wanted to make absolutely clear that every soldier - and every worker and business owner, for that matter - knew the rules of engagement before acting if necessary. He had prohibited the use of large pieces or crew operated weapons, and limited the bullets each soldier carried to twelve. Enough for the soldiers to defend themselves if attacked, but enough to carry a massacre like the one that brought so much ruin to Chile. With any luck, Baquedano would be able to broker a deal between the parts, and establish a precedent to solve these kinds of issues in the future.
Joaquin Godoy repeated the request back to him, a habit he had acquired during his brief time at the Navy, and went on his way. Eusebio boarded the train, the last man to do so. With that, the train started to move towards Almonte.
- "Always making an entrance, uncle". - A thin young man of sharp features asked. - "What took you so long?"
- "The plight of the working class, of course." - Eusebio said. - "How are you doing, Baldomero?" - He asked, inviting his nephew to sit at the same table as him. He was grateful to have someone on the train that took his mind away from his duties.
- "Intrigued about this company of yours. I want to see if the rumours are true."
- "That they've harnessed the energy of the sun? They did so. I know for certain that they can melt tons of rocks in minutes."
- "Not that. A company that actually treats their workers well." - Baldomero said.
- "Oh. That." - The President said. - "It has been influential, to say the least."
- "Do I hear some nuisance on your voice?"
- "Sometimes I wish they weren't so unorthodox. They are causing ripples all across the country."
- "And neither José Manuel nor you did anything for quite a while. In fact, you celebrated the care the Franco-Chilena took for their workers back in the day."
- "That was when the company employed a few hundred veterans led by a former officer, an eccentric scientist and a damn anarchist, and were causing trouble for the new owners of the Saltpeter deposits."
- "Which was convenient for you and Balmaceda. The nitrate industry isn't as profitable now that they have to provide the basics for their workers."
- "Yes. It was convenient then. We thought they'd be bankrupt in a few years. Now they're employing thousands and making business from here to Cairo. And every worker from Tacna to Punta Arenas now wants the same conditions the Franco-Chilena provides!"
- "And is that so bad?"
- "It's disruptive. Whole industries have developed under some presumptions, and altering those might signify the deaths of them. What will happen when every last peasant and itinerant worker starts demanding that stuff?"
- "That'd be a shame." - Baldomero's answer was corrosive.
- "The Franco-Chilena can afford it because they have an effective monopoly on the Americas and Europe. They've made damn sure to patent every invention and discovery they've made in Almonte. They can afford to pay their workers those wages. This isn't the case for the the large landowners and the industrialists that must compete with each other. Margins are thin."
- "Thinner than the palaces they've built on them?"
- "That's not the point. The point is that that company exists outside the local context. It's not comparable." - Eusebio answered, but Baldomero raised an uncomfortable point.
V
Almonte, Chile
A day and a half later, under a setting sun, the train arrived directly to Almonte. What was once a sun blased village with dirt paths and adobe houses had transformed into a thriving town built on bricks and cobblestone and lit by gaslight, with scaffolding covering several structures still under construction. President Lillo saw several businesses on the main street, from hardware stores to restaurants. And on one corner of the green, defiant main square, the Almonte Hotel was prepared to receive the Presidential entourage. A three-story structure of prefabricated steel and iron, designed by the same architect that did the Chilean Pavilion in the Paris Exposition of 1889. Eusebio considered it a bit excessively decorated, but it was still an impressive building. The flags and patriotic decorations were a nice touch, but Lillo wasn't sure if they were prepared for the occasion, or an early manifestation of the national festivities of the month.
It didn't matter. Waiting at the entrance, a welcome retinue awaited them, headed by Isidora Goyenechea, Constantino Serrano and Agustin Mouchot. Greetings and formalities were exchanged and both groups entered the main hall, were dinner would be served.
- "Your Excellency, you'll be delighted to know that our own Docteur planned this dinner." - Said Isidora Goyenechea, who seated next to him.
- "A man of many talents, I can see." - Eusebio answered. - "A toast, then, for the man of the hour!"
- "For the man of the hour!" - two dozen men said, and Eusebio saw Mouchot blush across the table.
- "It was nothing... really." - the Frenchman said. - "If anything, it was a nice change of pace from the last few months."
- "I can see that you've kept yourself busy, Agustin." - The President said, the weariness of the travel leading him to relax the strict protocol. - "This town has changed substantially since we last saw it."
- "That's not my making, your Excellency. I just had a promising idea, and I could bring it to reality. The men who built this are your two compatriots who believed in that idea. Without Constantino's eye for management and business and Alejandro's careful dealings with our workforce, I'd still be teaching in a school in Orléans and this place would still be another village in the desert."
-"Ah, and a man who's also immune to flattery." - Which again caused Mouchot to blush. - "Then, at least, let me praise you for your skills as a sommelier! This wine is truly excellent."
- "There I will take full credit. What you're drinking is my personal reserve of Chateau Latour, 1880 vintage. It feels strange to be able to afford luxuries, but I won't cut costs on wine now that I can afford it."
- "I've told him to buy a vineyard and make his own." - Isidora Goyenechea replied, playfully. - "Given how much potential the Franco-Chilena has, he could afford to buy one every year and scarcely notice it."
- "Tell me more about that potential" - Eusebio said. - "If there's someone who should have the bigger picture in mind, it's you Madame Goyenechea."
- "Well, you might know that the Franco Chilena's factory works without using a single lump of coal. Until recently it did, as some processes needed heat during the night. But Agustin cracked that particular problem about six months ago. Something about melting points, which I can barely understand let alone explain. But what you might not know is that the Franco-Chilena is that the consumption of coal in the northern zone has noticeably decreased, and in Santiago has barely grown in comparison to previous years. These devices are being sold as south as Chiloe. Coal prices are dropping as a result. In two or three years, I think we will be exporting coal instead of importing it. In ten years? I don't have any idea. This is like asking what would happen ten years after watching the first locomotive."
- "And what will happen to Lota then?" - Eusebio asked.
- "I've taken some steps. We're placing a hydroelectric dam near the town with the help of Mr. Edison, and the coal might be used in steel making. We produce iron, so it's just a matter of installing the industrial infrastructure to supply the country. The people of Lota are hard working, which is the true wealth of the town. Letting them go to waste would be a mistake."
- "And this is how progress comes to the country. Working together, we might become a fully industrialized nation." - Eusebio said as he raised his cup. - "To Industry!"
And two dozen men toasted. The dinner continued.
VI
The President heard the knock on his door. A few seconds for his mind to initiate, and then he remembered he himself asked for the wake up call. He watched out the window and to the west he saw some blue on the black sky. Under the electric light, the clock indicated it was barely half past four. Under any other circumstance, this would be a preposterous hour to wake up. This day, it might as well decide the fate of a nation. Today, Eusebio Lillo would see if the power of the sun could indeed power a metal refinery.
He went down to the dining room and ate breakfast. His entourage was, for the most part ready. Even Baldomero was sitting, ready for the day. Outside, also at the ready, were ten stagecoaches.
The dark blue gave way to a brownish red as the caravan approached it's destiny in the east. Eusebio saw in the distance a yellowish glow, coming from the ground illuminating some barely distinguishable structures. In the dying darkness, the glow looked sinister and the structures, menacing. Eventually it was drowned by the ambient light, and he could distinguish take a good look at the structures. Ten identical towers, far taller than the Intendancy of Santiago. They held a dish inside which reflected an inversion of the surrounding landscape and sky.
The red gave way to a yellow in the east, surrounded by a light blue. The caravan was now close to the foundry The sun would rise in a few minutes, and the machines... began to sing. As if they were giants waking up, they also started to move in expectancy of the sun. Eusebio looked expectantly at the towers to see what would happen once the sun hit, but wasn't prepared for the flash of light and cracking sound the machines made as soon as sunlight hit their dishes. Air humidity and dust were vaporized by the concentrated heat, and for a fraction of a second they were visible, and then the only evidence of something happening were the glowing spots - most of them hidden from view by the infrastructure - where the collected sunbeams hit. The sound of machinery and men working started, but no smoke came out of the refinery's chimneys.
At the entrance of the site awaited three figures covered in heavy white canvas punctuated by black visors. The voice of Constantino Serrano greeted them, and Eusebio deduced the other figures were Agustin Mouchot and Alejandro Puig.
- "What are these clothes you're wearing?" - The President asked.
- "Sun suits." - Constantino Serrano answered. - "Nobody goes inside the refinery or 500 meters near a MTE tower without them, unless they want to get a nasty sunburn. This includes you, your Excellency."
- "Very well. I don't want to miss this." - Eusebio answered. - "So this is the solar refinery you were building?" - He asked after putting the working garb. The visors were almost opaque, but he could see wherever the concentrated beams hit.
- "This is the conclusion of my associate's work. We weren't sure if it would work when we started the project, so we made it thinking in a quick conversion to coal if it didn't pan out." - Serrano answered.
- "You sound as if you didn't have much faith in your associate's abilities."
- "Actually it was me who designed it this way." - Agustin Mouchot said. - "I was the most skeptical of the capacities of my devices to provide the required temperature and heat. I had to improve the designs quite a bit to get it to achieve this level of performance. The focusing array in particular took one year."
- "And what are the results?"
- "The results are that we managed to completely eliminate coal from the production process. All the heat this refinery needs comes from the sun. Those chimneys fired once, to test them, and have remained silent ever since. These devices produce the equivalent heat of ten tonnes of coal per day at their minimum capacity."
- "And how much copper could be produced with that energy?" - Eusebio asked.
- "Using the established method, we're producing around five tonnes of refined copper per day." - Agustin Mouchot answered.
- "And how does that compare to the national production?" - Eusebio asked. The numbers were never his forte.
- "About 10% of the national production."
- "In this single facility?" - Eusebio asked in disbelief.
- "Yes, that's the minimum rate of production. In the summer solstice we can achieve around 7.5 tonnes... if we can feed it that much." - Mouchot answered.
- "What do you mean by this?"
- "Well, the problem is that the nearby copper mine isn't providing enough ore for us to refine. It's an issue of scale of production that leaves our machines idle."
- "That doesn't sound efficient. Have you considered getting ore elsewhere?"
- "We have, but you have to understand that this facility is experimental." - Mouchot said.
Experimental, and it was still capable of producing a significant chunk of the copper Chile would export.
- "We built a refinery based on a coal-powered process, which has a fundamentally different way of providing heat and energy. For example, grinding the ore isn't needed when applying direct solar heat. It is even a bit counter productive. Just by disposing of that process we could significantly improve the efficiency of a Concentrated-Solar plant."
- "By how much?" - Eusebio asked.
- "Grinding spends 57% of the energy needed for the traditional process. We currently have a steam engine hooked to a phase-change battery." - Mouchot explained that invention, a way to store solar heat using molten sand for use during the night. - "that grinds the stone. Bypassing that step would lead to a 130% increase in production. However, I am not a metallurgist and I can't say this for certain. What I can say for certain is that we can dependably reach temperatures of up to 3250 Absolute. What we know for certain is that we can replicate this process, and we need to properly understand. We could provide oxygen-rich or anoxic atmospheres, cryogenic cooling and more... it will take years of study to get the most out of these technologies."
- "So going back to the basics. We can fully replace coal and reduce costs."
- "That's the long and short of it for now." - Mouchot agreed.
The tour continued, each part of the process explained to an exhaustive detail. Esuebio noted how his nephew grew closer and asked his own questions Alejandro Puig, and followed him when one of the workers asked for the presence of Alejandro for some sort of urgent matter. After that, a lunch and a final inspection to the plant, which ended just as the sun began to set.
- "I have one last question, Docteur. How do you intend to keep operating once the sun goes down?" - Eusebio asked.
- "Oh, most of the low temperature processes, by which I mean those that use motive steam or heating of liquids, obtain their heat of the phase change pools. You probably saw their glow on your way here. Since the temperature remains constant throughout the whole phase change process, we can reach exact temperatures and pressures needed. That's how the grinding machine keeps operating through the night." - Mouchot explained.
- "And what about the other processes? The melting of the ore, for example?"
Mouchot just stared blankly for a moment, as if the President had said something very stupid.
- "Those processes are energy-dependent. There's only so much energy that can be extracted from the sun each day, and trying to keep high-temperature processes through the night would be less efficient than using that heat directly. Anything that needs to be melted is better melted during the day."
And against that logic, Eusebio Lillo couldn't argue. With a working proof that direct solar refineries were viable, he breathed a sigh of relief. Chile had just gained a margin to maneuver the coming years of economic uncertainty.
[...]The operational debut of Almonte Este was the conclusion of Agustin Mouchot's research, and also marked the beginning of the end for the "Heroic Age" of Solar Energy development. This solar-powered refinery was a definite proof that complex industrial processes could be decoupled from fossil fuels for and remain competitive (or, in the right places, vastly outperform them). It was the first solar project whose political impact was directly measurable (in contrast to the ambiguous scheming carried out in Egypt) and shaped the policy of the Lillo and second Balmaceda administrations. Lillo directed the Rector of the University of Chile to create the Department of Solar Studies, the world's first research bureau dedicated exclusively to the development of solar technologies. Balmaceda would deepen this focus, transforming the Atacama Desert into a hub of energy intensive industries that took advantage of the extreme solar irradiance of the zone.
At the same time, it marked the decline of the influence of individuals like Mouchot in the development and maturity of these technologies. Like electricity the decade before, solar energy had become too complex for any one person to completely understand it all. Agustin was fully conscious of this change and, while still one of the most important contributors for the company until his retirement, he shifted his focus towards the creation of an institutional culture of innovation. Phase Change Batteries serve as an example, as they were proposed by Mouchot and developed in an independent manner by a team of engineers. Although he still had one significant contribution to deliver in the next years, the trend was clear and inescapable: the knoweldge had become too specialized for individual geniuses to revolutionize.[...]
[...]On a tangentially related note, Baldomero Lillo, the President's nephew and a writer who'd go on to write Sub Sole in the 1905 which documented the life of the workers of the solar and nitrate industries published the short story 'The Refugee' after witnessing an incident in which a runaway saltpeter worker crossed almost a hundred kilometers to search work in Almonte. It is the earliest work of fiction focused on this emerging industry[...]
Santiago, Chile
I
Eusebio Lillo still had trouble digesting the fact that he was the President, reflecting over the first cup of coffee. He was planning in retiring after being minister for his friend José Manuel, to dedicate his life to poetry and the arts. To reconnect to the young man that once re-wrote the National Anthem, and to spend the end of his life in comfort.
But duty had plans, too. His friend José Manuel, the former President, had left an unfinished work and asked him to complete it. And so he ran, winning against the Radicals who had stepped to fill the vacuum left by the murderous Conservatives. If there was any consolation for the ruin the Conservatives brought to the country by inviting the wrath - and the greed - of the British Empire, at least coordinating with Congress became easier. A solid Liberal majority, with a minority led by the Radicals who only disagreed in the depth of the investment plans started by Balmaceda.
How would the country fare without the nitrate wealth? Even after Congress approved his plan to prospect and nationalize every mineral deposit that could be discovered, the only viable alternative, at least in the short term, was copper. Copper, whose value had been low for a few decades, which might be enough to pay the debts incurred in the war and keep the government working, but... how much would be left to grow and invest? Perhaps that Frenchman would deliver on his promises on removing energy costs from the equation. If so, perhaps it'd give the nation some room to breathe. If.
The door knocked. The Presidential Office became a real space again, the idle speculation gave way to the matters his position attended, and his mind focused on the first appointment of the day. The first one of which was a reunion with the Venezuelan Consul, a folk of so little presence whose name he had to recheck from his notebook. Alberto de Villé. A tedious, unremarkable man who somehow got a position in his country's diplomatic corps. But tedious as it was, the work needed to be done as professionally as possible.
- "Joaquín, please take a seat and grab some coffee. Consider it an intelligence gathering operation, since it was a gift from the Colombian Ambassador." - Eusebio said, playfully.
- "Oh, I'll have to write a report about this." Joaquin Armendariz said. "We can't let our neighbours win this important war!" - And there it was: the Venezuelan just didn't know when to stop. He asked entirely too many irrelevant questions and said too many irrelevant things, such as a comment about Eusebio's poetry which only extended the meeting unnecessarily.
- "But tell me Joaquín, what can I do to help you and the people of Venezuela?" - Eusebio said, once it became clear that the Consul wouldn't state his business without prompt.
- "Oh" - that sound somehow came out insulting - "We'd like to know if the Republic of Chile would act as mediator between the Republic of Venezuela and the British Empire."
- "So your namesake is planning on pushing the issue of the Essequibo?" - Eusebio Lillo said, to the point.
- "Indeed. Gold and oil has been discovered in the region, and those resources belong to the People of Venezuela. We're asking or Chilean brothers because we see this as an opportunity to strengthen Latin American union and independence. And the Venezuelan people won't forget. Those resources will help Chile regain their nitrate fields."
- "... I see." - Eusebio said, just to sound natural. He knew the Consul wasn't a smart man, he needed a moment to process the sheer absurdity of what he was proposing. Chile still had British ships on its ports, and was heavily involved with British capitals even outside the Nitrate industry. It wouldn't be a fair arbitrator, and that Joaquin de Ville didn't take that into consideration just baffled Eusebio Lillo. He made a quick, discreet note reminding him to ask Joaquin Crespo Torres for a replacement as soon as possible. - "I don't know if we can fulfill the needs of an impartial arbiter in the case."
- "Why not?" - The Consul asked.
And the President, in his most diplomatic tone, answered.
- "Well, I understand where you are coming from. Perhaps it was unwise to ask you, but we genuinely think this would be a good way to strengthen the relationships of the nations of South America."
- "Perhaps you should expand your views. America is a large continent, and we should aim to strengthen the relationships with all our neighbours, including those beyond Latin America."
- "What are you implying?" - Joaquin de Ville asked.
- "Well, if there's one country that could match the British Empire in the world's stage, that's probably the United States. They share a history with the English people, and are connected to us as well. So I think that they would be a far better fit for your needs, and those of the British Empire as well." - Eusebio answered, hoping it would put an end to the matter.
To his surprise, it did. And with that the rest of the meeting went out down as boring routine. Eusebio practically counted the minutes for it to end.
II
It ended, eventually. And after that came a reunion Eusebio was actually looking forward. Edward Strobel, the Envoy Extraordinary of the United States, was a man who stood in contrast to Joaquin de Ville... and to the little imp, Patrick Egan.
- "I know this isn't the most diplomatic thing to say, but I think you'd like to know that Patrick Egan has been found guilty of criminal conspiracy, and will see time behind bars."
- "Is that so? I would toast to that, as undiplomatic as it may seem."
- "I'd rather not, I've been feeling under the weather these days, and I'm not planning on taking chances with a drink."
- "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Does that mean that you won't be coming with us to the inauguration of the copper plant?"
- "I must remain here for the time being" - The Southener sighed with disappointment. - "But I really wanted to see the advancements Dr. Mouchot is achieving in the desert."
- "We'll make sure to bring plenty of documents for you, Henry."
- "Please, do that. That climate control unit your administration gifted the Embassy... it's really convinced the naysayers in our staff. It has even reached the ears of President Cleveland."
- "Has it, now? And what's the opinion of my counterpart in Washington?" - Eusebio asked, feeling an unexpected surge of national pride.
- "There's nothing official yet, but President Cleveland would like to establish a channel of technological cooperation between our countries. We know that Goyenechea and Cottrell have both aggressively patented most of the advances associated to solar energy generation, but maybe Chile and the United States can reach some sort of trade agreement regarding tariffs and licensing of the technologies."
- "Tariffs and licensing in exchange for what?" - Lillo asked.
- "That's up to you. I could do some suggestions, but Mr. Cleveland said that it'd be better if you named your terms. However, if I had to suggest something, maybe it could be assistance in the development of rail infrastructure."
- "That sounds like an exceedingly generous offer. One that we'd be fools to not consider. I'll gather my cabinet after the visit to discuss this matter. However, there's one thing you need to consider: the technology doesn't belong to the Chilean State. It's in the private hands of the Franco-Chilena and Isidora Goyenechea. We could discuss tariffs and even subsidies, but we can't outright provide something that isn't ours."
- "Nevertheless, the Chilean State is in control of the tariffs and taxes which affect these devices. If we can't command what private businesses can do, we can at least poke them in a direction."
- "That's all we ask. This exchange will greatly benefit our two nations, and will benefit us as equals."
As equals.
Eusebio remembered the arrogance of Egan, and the difference with Strobel was refreshing. The meeting went smoothly after that, and only ended in a bit of awkwardness when the President mentioned the intentions of Venezuela to seek a representative on its dispute. That it wasn't quite a faux pas - indeed, it wasn't even a violation of protocol - made it somehow worse. The US Ambassador made some awkward gestures to relay this information to his superior.
III
Eusebio signed the last document of the day - authorizing Manuel Baquedano, the former Commander in Chief to act as a negotiator between the general strike and the wool exporting companies - and his day ended. He put the down his pen and got out of the Presidential Office, soon leaving La Moneda as the last rays of sun warmed Santiago. Surrounded by his discreet security detail, he walked the short distance between the Presidential Palace and his home. Nothing had changed in the city, not really. A few palaces had gone up, and a few buildings were rising over four stories tall, but Santiago had been growing ever since he was a boy. The sights were the same, as were the sounds.
Or so he thought. The faint murmur of Stirling engines coming from the roofs of some houses wasn't there before. The solar-powered devices extracting the last watts of energy from the dying light. A subtle change, for now. But one that was already impacting the way people lived. Fewer fires were reported last year, and heated water stopped being a luxury for thousands as Mouchot's devices became widespread. Eusebio himself had started a habit of taking a warm bath each night, and the hot water was just there when he needed. No need to start a boiler or call an operator.
The shadow of Agustin Mouchot laid long. The man had gambled on an unorthodox idea, and succeeded so far. It had catapulted Chile to an unlikely place of leadership, of which Eusebio still struggled to grasp its importance. And now the Frenchman had doubled down on the gamble, putting the destiny of the nation in his theories. If Mouchot was right, then Chile had a wealth that dwarfed even the nitrate deposits. If he was wrong, it would lead the country to ruin.
Eusebio took that bath, but this time he couldn't relax as he felt the warm water.
IV
The President instructed his Interior Minister Joaquin Godoy, for one last time before boarding the train that would move them to Almonte, to monitor the strike in Punta Arenas and keep a close eye on the Army troops deployed to keep order. The situation was calm at the moment, but neither the workers nor the business owners were willing to negotiate. It was only a matter of time before someone made a mistake, and Lillo wanted to make absolutely clear that every soldier - and every worker and business owner, for that matter - knew the rules of engagement before acting if necessary. He had prohibited the use of large pieces or crew operated weapons, and limited the bullets each soldier carried to twelve. Enough for the soldiers to defend themselves if attacked, but enough to carry a massacre like the one that brought so much ruin to Chile. With any luck, Baquedano would be able to broker a deal between the parts, and establish a precedent to solve these kinds of issues in the future.
Joaquin Godoy repeated the request back to him, a habit he had acquired during his brief time at the Navy, and went on his way. Eusebio boarded the train, the last man to do so. With that, the train started to move towards Almonte.
- "Always making an entrance, uncle". - A thin young man of sharp features asked. - "What took you so long?"
- "The plight of the working class, of course." - Eusebio said. - "How are you doing, Baldomero?" - He asked, inviting his nephew to sit at the same table as him. He was grateful to have someone on the train that took his mind away from his duties.
- "Intrigued about this company of yours. I want to see if the rumours are true."
- "That they've harnessed the energy of the sun? They did so. I know for certain that they can melt tons of rocks in minutes."
- "Not that. A company that actually treats their workers well." - Baldomero said.
- "Oh. That." - The President said. - "It has been influential, to say the least."
- "Do I hear some nuisance on your voice?"
- "Sometimes I wish they weren't so unorthodox. They are causing ripples all across the country."
- "And neither José Manuel nor you did anything for quite a while. In fact, you celebrated the care the Franco-Chilena took for their workers back in the day."
- "That was when the company employed a few hundred veterans led by a former officer, an eccentric scientist and a damn anarchist, and were causing trouble for the new owners of the Saltpeter deposits."
- "Which was convenient for you and Balmaceda. The nitrate industry isn't as profitable now that they have to provide the basics for their workers."
- "Yes. It was convenient then. We thought they'd be bankrupt in a few years. Now they're employing thousands and making business from here to Cairo. And every worker from Tacna to Punta Arenas now wants the same conditions the Franco-Chilena provides!"
- "And is that so bad?"
- "It's disruptive. Whole industries have developed under some presumptions, and altering those might signify the deaths of them. What will happen when every last peasant and itinerant worker starts demanding that stuff?"
- "That'd be a shame." - Baldomero's answer was corrosive.
- "The Franco-Chilena can afford it because they have an effective monopoly on the Americas and Europe. They've made damn sure to patent every invention and discovery they've made in Almonte. They can afford to pay their workers those wages. This isn't the case for the the large landowners and the industrialists that must compete with each other. Margins are thin."
- "Thinner than the palaces they've built on them?"
- "That's not the point. The point is that that company exists outside the local context. It's not comparable." - Eusebio answered, but Baldomero raised an uncomfortable point.
V
Almonte, Chile
A day and a half later, under a setting sun, the train arrived directly to Almonte. What was once a sun blased village with dirt paths and adobe houses had transformed into a thriving town built on bricks and cobblestone and lit by gaslight, with scaffolding covering several structures still under construction. President Lillo saw several businesses on the main street, from hardware stores to restaurants. And on one corner of the green, defiant main square, the Almonte Hotel was prepared to receive the Presidential entourage. A three-story structure of prefabricated steel and iron, designed by the same architect that did the Chilean Pavilion in the Paris Exposition of 1889. Eusebio considered it a bit excessively decorated, but it was still an impressive building. The flags and patriotic decorations were a nice touch, but Lillo wasn't sure if they were prepared for the occasion, or an early manifestation of the national festivities of the month.
It didn't matter. Waiting at the entrance, a welcome retinue awaited them, headed by Isidora Goyenechea, Constantino Serrano and Agustin Mouchot. Greetings and formalities were exchanged and both groups entered the main hall, were dinner would be served.
- "Your Excellency, you'll be delighted to know that our own Docteur planned this dinner." - Said Isidora Goyenechea, who seated next to him.
- "A man of many talents, I can see." - Eusebio answered. - "A toast, then, for the man of the hour!"
- "For the man of the hour!" - two dozen men said, and Eusebio saw Mouchot blush across the table.
- "It was nothing... really." - the Frenchman said. - "If anything, it was a nice change of pace from the last few months."
- "I can see that you've kept yourself busy, Agustin." - The President said, the weariness of the travel leading him to relax the strict protocol. - "This town has changed substantially since we last saw it."
- "That's not my making, your Excellency. I just had a promising idea, and I could bring it to reality. The men who built this are your two compatriots who believed in that idea. Without Constantino's eye for management and business and Alejandro's careful dealings with our workforce, I'd still be teaching in a school in Orléans and this place would still be another village in the desert."
-"Ah, and a man who's also immune to flattery." - Which again caused Mouchot to blush. - "Then, at least, let me praise you for your skills as a sommelier! This wine is truly excellent."
- "There I will take full credit. What you're drinking is my personal reserve of Chateau Latour, 1880 vintage. It feels strange to be able to afford luxuries, but I won't cut costs on wine now that I can afford it."
- "I've told him to buy a vineyard and make his own." - Isidora Goyenechea replied, playfully. - "Given how much potential the Franco-Chilena has, he could afford to buy one every year and scarcely notice it."
- "Tell me more about that potential" - Eusebio said. - "If there's someone who should have the bigger picture in mind, it's you Madame Goyenechea."
- "Well, you might know that the Franco Chilena's factory works without using a single lump of coal. Until recently it did, as some processes needed heat during the night. But Agustin cracked that particular problem about six months ago. Something about melting points, which I can barely understand let alone explain. But what you might not know is that the Franco-Chilena is that the consumption of coal in the northern zone has noticeably decreased, and in Santiago has barely grown in comparison to previous years. These devices are being sold as south as Chiloe. Coal prices are dropping as a result. In two or three years, I think we will be exporting coal instead of importing it. In ten years? I don't have any idea. This is like asking what would happen ten years after watching the first locomotive."
- "And what will happen to Lota then?" - Eusebio asked.
- "I've taken some steps. We're placing a hydroelectric dam near the town with the help of Mr. Edison, and the coal might be used in steel making. We produce iron, so it's just a matter of installing the industrial infrastructure to supply the country. The people of Lota are hard working, which is the true wealth of the town. Letting them go to waste would be a mistake."
- "And this is how progress comes to the country. Working together, we might become a fully industrialized nation." - Eusebio said as he raised his cup. - "To Industry!"
And two dozen men toasted. The dinner continued.
VI
The President heard the knock on his door. A few seconds for his mind to initiate, and then he remembered he himself asked for the wake up call. He watched out the window and to the west he saw some blue on the black sky. Under the electric light, the clock indicated it was barely half past four. Under any other circumstance, this would be a preposterous hour to wake up. This day, it might as well decide the fate of a nation. Today, Eusebio Lillo would see if the power of the sun could indeed power a metal refinery.
He went down to the dining room and ate breakfast. His entourage was, for the most part ready. Even Baldomero was sitting, ready for the day. Outside, also at the ready, were ten stagecoaches.
The dark blue gave way to a brownish red as the caravan approached it's destiny in the east. Eusebio saw in the distance a yellowish glow, coming from the ground illuminating some barely distinguishable structures. In the dying darkness, the glow looked sinister and the structures, menacing. Eventually it was drowned by the ambient light, and he could distinguish take a good look at the structures. Ten identical towers, far taller than the Intendancy of Santiago. They held a dish inside which reflected an inversion of the surrounding landscape and sky.
The red gave way to a yellow in the east, surrounded by a light blue. The caravan was now close to the foundry The sun would rise in a few minutes, and the machines... began to sing. As if they were giants waking up, they also started to move in expectancy of the sun. Eusebio looked expectantly at the towers to see what would happen once the sun hit, but wasn't prepared for the flash of light and cracking sound the machines made as soon as sunlight hit their dishes. Air humidity and dust were vaporized by the concentrated heat, and for a fraction of a second they were visible, and then the only evidence of something happening were the glowing spots - most of them hidden from view by the infrastructure - where the collected sunbeams hit. The sound of machinery and men working started, but no smoke came out of the refinery's chimneys.
At the entrance of the site awaited three figures covered in heavy white canvas punctuated by black visors. The voice of Constantino Serrano greeted them, and Eusebio deduced the other figures were Agustin Mouchot and Alejandro Puig.
- "What are these clothes you're wearing?" - The President asked.
- "Sun suits." - Constantino Serrano answered. - "Nobody goes inside the refinery or 500 meters near a MTE tower without them, unless they want to get a nasty sunburn. This includes you, your Excellency."
- "Very well. I don't want to miss this." - Eusebio answered. - "So this is the solar refinery you were building?" - He asked after putting the working garb. The visors were almost opaque, but he could see wherever the concentrated beams hit.
- "This is the conclusion of my associate's work. We weren't sure if it would work when we started the project, so we made it thinking in a quick conversion to coal if it didn't pan out." - Serrano answered.
- "You sound as if you didn't have much faith in your associate's abilities."
- "Actually it was me who designed it this way." - Agustin Mouchot said. - "I was the most skeptical of the capacities of my devices to provide the required temperature and heat. I had to improve the designs quite a bit to get it to achieve this level of performance. The focusing array in particular took one year."
- "And what are the results?"
- "The results are that we managed to completely eliminate coal from the production process. All the heat this refinery needs comes from the sun. Those chimneys fired once, to test them, and have remained silent ever since. These devices produce the equivalent heat of ten tonnes of coal per day at their minimum capacity."
- "And how much copper could be produced with that energy?" - Eusebio asked.
- "Using the established method, we're producing around five tonnes of refined copper per day." - Agustin Mouchot answered.
- "And how does that compare to the national production?" - Eusebio asked. The numbers were never his forte.
- "About 10% of the national production."
- "In this single facility?" - Eusebio asked in disbelief.
- "Yes, that's the minimum rate of production. In the summer solstice we can achieve around 7.5 tonnes... if we can feed it that much." - Mouchot answered.
- "What do you mean by this?"
- "Well, the problem is that the nearby copper mine isn't providing enough ore for us to refine. It's an issue of scale of production that leaves our machines idle."
- "That doesn't sound efficient. Have you considered getting ore elsewhere?"
- "We have, but you have to understand that this facility is experimental." - Mouchot said.
Experimental, and it was still capable of producing a significant chunk of the copper Chile would export.
- "We built a refinery based on a coal-powered process, which has a fundamentally different way of providing heat and energy. For example, grinding the ore isn't needed when applying direct solar heat. It is even a bit counter productive. Just by disposing of that process we could significantly improve the efficiency of a Concentrated-Solar plant."
- "By how much?" - Eusebio asked.
- "Grinding spends 57% of the energy needed for the traditional process. We currently have a steam engine hooked to a phase-change battery." - Mouchot explained that invention, a way to store solar heat using molten sand for use during the night. - "that grinds the stone. Bypassing that step would lead to a 130% increase in production. However, I am not a metallurgist and I can't say this for certain. What I can say for certain is that we can dependably reach temperatures of up to 3250 Absolute. What we know for certain is that we can replicate this process, and we need to properly understand. We could provide oxygen-rich or anoxic atmospheres, cryogenic cooling and more... it will take years of study to get the most out of these technologies."
- "So going back to the basics. We can fully replace coal and reduce costs."
- "That's the long and short of it for now." - Mouchot agreed.
The tour continued, each part of the process explained to an exhaustive detail. Esuebio noted how his nephew grew closer and asked his own questions Alejandro Puig, and followed him when one of the workers asked for the presence of Alejandro for some sort of urgent matter. After that, a lunch and a final inspection to the plant, which ended just as the sun began to set.
- "I have one last question, Docteur. How do you intend to keep operating once the sun goes down?" - Eusebio asked.
- "Oh, most of the low temperature processes, by which I mean those that use motive steam or heating of liquids, obtain their heat of the phase change pools. You probably saw their glow on your way here. Since the temperature remains constant throughout the whole phase change process, we can reach exact temperatures and pressures needed. That's how the grinding machine keeps operating through the night." - Mouchot explained.
- "And what about the other processes? The melting of the ore, for example?"
Mouchot just stared blankly for a moment, as if the President had said something very stupid.
- "Those processes are energy-dependent. There's only so much energy that can be extracted from the sun each day, and trying to keep high-temperature processes through the night would be less efficient than using that heat directly. Anything that needs to be melted is better melted during the day."
And against that logic, Eusebio Lillo couldn't argue. With a working proof that direct solar refineries were viable, he breathed a sigh of relief. Chile had just gained a margin to maneuver the coming years of economic uncertainty.
[...]The operational debut of Almonte Este was the conclusion of Agustin Mouchot's research, and also marked the beginning of the end for the "Heroic Age" of Solar Energy development. This solar-powered refinery was a definite proof that complex industrial processes could be decoupled from fossil fuels for and remain competitive (or, in the right places, vastly outperform them). It was the first solar project whose political impact was directly measurable (in contrast to the ambiguous scheming carried out in Egypt) and shaped the policy of the Lillo and second Balmaceda administrations. Lillo directed the Rector of the University of Chile to create the Department of Solar Studies, the world's first research bureau dedicated exclusively to the development of solar technologies. Balmaceda would deepen this focus, transforming the Atacama Desert into a hub of energy intensive industries that took advantage of the extreme solar irradiance of the zone.
At the same time, it marked the decline of the influence of individuals like Mouchot in the development and maturity of these technologies. Like electricity the decade before, solar energy had become too complex for any one person to completely understand it all. Agustin was fully conscious of this change and, while still one of the most important contributors for the company until his retirement, he shifted his focus towards the creation of an institutional culture of innovation. Phase Change Batteries serve as an example, as they were proposed by Mouchot and developed in an independent manner by a team of engineers. Although he still had one significant contribution to deliver in the next years, the trend was clear and inescapable: the knoweldge had become too specialized for individual geniuses to revolutionize.[...]
[...]On a tangentially related note, Baldomero Lillo, the President's nephew and a writer who'd go on to write Sub Sole in the 1905 which documented the life of the workers of the solar and nitrate industries published the short story 'The Refugee' after witnessing an incident in which a runaway saltpeter worker crossed almost a hundred kilometers to search work in Almonte. It is the earliest work of fiction focused on this emerging industry[...]
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NotBigBrother
Monthly Donor
There was said in Chapter 3 that many workers were burned, but bosses of the Tarapaca Saltpeter Company simply didn't care.
This must be a bitter-sweet moment for Mouchot to look back at later - his child has reached that awkward teen stage and is out of his control.
Still I hope Chile is well on its way to becoming a major centre for Solar and even hydro-power research, be such a turn around from OTL.
How is the solar revolution going down in the rest of South America? I'd imagine it could have a huge impact on the Brazilian rain forest if less is cut down for fuel?
Still I hope Chile is well on its way to becoming a major centre for Solar and even hydro-power research, be such a turn around from OTL.
How is the solar revolution going down in the rest of South America? I'd imagine it could have a huge impact on the Brazilian rain forest if less is cut down for fuel?
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Almonte is the only desert in the world where people aren't fond of clouds in the sky blocking the sun.
Chile going fully Hydro-Solar for energy generation and perhaps even wind on a smaller scale by the end of the century will leave cities belching so little fossil fuel that it'll be like breathing in healthy country side air.
I do agree with the president, the company is nearing Megacorporation dimensions in the country.
Chile going fully Hydro-Solar for energy generation and perhaps even wind on a smaller scale by the end of the century will leave cities belching so little fossil fuel that it'll be like breathing in healthy country side air.
I do agree with the president, the company is nearing Megacorporation dimensions in the country.