[DesuMaiden]

I heard it was because in Europe they were running out of wood, so they decided to burn fossil fuels to make up for the lack of wood. They were using coal at first as a substitute for wood. Coal was burned to produce heat and later electricity. I know that the Industrial Revolution wouldn't have started if it wasn't for the fact that mankind started using fossil fuels. So why did people start burning fossil fuels for energy?

[dolanbaker]

The earliest phases of the industrial revolution were water powered. The principal driver was the mechanisation of weaving and some other manufacturing processed and all the factories were originally built next to fast flowing rivers that could be diverted via water wheels to drive the machinery.

The first (that I know of) use of coal for energy rather than heat was for pumping.
The earliest steam engines were developed to pump water out of the coal mines as flooding limited the amount of coal that could be extracted before the mines were abandoned due to flooding.

Once the steam engine was developed, other uses were soon found for it eventually it was used for locomotion and the rest is history.

[GregT]

Coal use by the Chinese can be traced back to 3400 BC. They used it to smelt copper as early as 1000 BC. People have been burning coal ever since they found out that it could be burned. It is even believed that cavemen burned coal for heat.

[DesuMaiden]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('GregT', 'C')oal use by the Chinese can be traced back to 3400 BC. They used it to smelt copper as early as 1000 BC. People have been burning coal ever since they found out that it could be burned. It is even believed that cavemen burned coal for heat.

[ChilPhil1986]

Regarding American oil derivatives specifically, the discovery of kerosene distillation was what started the first oil rushes in the latter half of the 19th century. Most people had been using wood, coal, and hard-to-acquire whale oil for lighting and heat. Kerosene provided the first cheap alternative energy source brought the Rockefellars to power.

[Subjectivist]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChilPhil1986', 'R')egarding American oil derivatives specifically, the discovery of kerosene distillation was what started the first oil rushes in the latter half of the 19th century. Most people had been using wood, coal, and hard-to-acquire whale oil for lighting and heat. Kerosene provided the first cheap alternative energy source brought the Rockefellars to power.

[Shaved Monkey]

I remember the smell of kerosene heaters when we went to visit our poorer relatives in the 60s
http://a4.img.bidorbuy.co.za/image/uplo ... 08_026.JPG
its amazing more people didnt die

[Strummer]

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/09/ ... times.html

[dolanbaker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Strummer', 'h')ttp://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/09/peat-and-coal-fossil-fuels-in-pre-industrial-times.html

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dolanbaker', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Strummer', 'h')ttp://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/09/peat-and-coal-fossil-fuels-in-pre-industrial-times.html

[dolanbaker]

After it's cut and extruded onto the ground we usually leave it a couple of weeks then go and turn or stack it (some people turn it and leave it for another week) to dry the other side. Then we leave it another month before throwing it into a trailer to take home.

The timings are totally weather dependent and in a good year it's possible to get two or even three cuts.

[JuanP]

Desu, IMO, humans will burn anything that burns, even shit! And we will continue burning everything that burns until we completely run out of available combustible materials. The only thing that could keep us from burning stuff would be the total lack of combustible materials. We love burning stuff, man. It is in our genes, we are all budding pyromaniacs.

We will burn the biosphere to total destruction. People who think humans will make it through this thing are mostly people who have kids and can't handle the truth.

"Total destruction is the only solution
And there ain't no use
No one can stop it now
I say, there is no use
Nobody can stop it now!"

Bob Marley

[dolanbaker]

Using dried dung as a fuel has been going on since time began and is still common in parts of Africa.

[dolanbaker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dolanbaker', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Strummer', 'h')ttp://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/09/peat-and-coal-fossil-fuels-in-pre-industrial-times.html

[ChilPhil1986]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Subjectivist', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChilPhil1986', 'R')egarding American oil derivatives specifically, the discovery of kerosene distillation was what started the first oil rushes in the latter half of the 19th century. Most people had been using wood, coal, and hard-to-acquire whale oil for lighting and heat. Kerosene provided the first cheap alternative energy source brought the Rockefellars to power.

[Subjectivist]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChilPhil1986', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Subjectivist', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChilPhil1986', 'R')egarding American oil derivatives specifically, the discovery of kerosene distillation was what started the first oil rushes in the latter half of the 19th century. Most people had been using wood, coal, and hard-to-acquire whale oil for lighting and heat. Kerosene provided the first cheap alternative energy source brought the Rockefellars to power.

[ChilPhil1986]

This is interesting. I was hoping to stumble on a lighting and heating source that wasn't fossil fuel dependent yet avoided the necessity of hacking down a ton of lumber every winter. I am of the conviction that we will need to be looking to the history books to find ways to supply the benefits petroleum and coal bring us at present. I will be looking for this alcohol/pine tree recipe you speak of.

[Subjectivist]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ChilPhil1986', 'T')his is interesting. I am was hoping to stumble on a lighting and heating source that wasn't fossil fuel dependent yet avoided the necessity of hacking down a ton of lumber every winter. I am of the conviction that we will need to be looking to the history books to find ways to supply the benefits petroleum and coal bring us at present. I will be looking for this alcohol/pine tree recipe you speak of.

[tom_s2]

desumaiden:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I') heard it was because in Europe they were running out of wood, so they decided to burn fossil fuels to make up for the lack of wood. They were using coal at first as a substitute for wood.