Steampunk Tech Without Fossil Fuels

[Erling]

Setting could have an alternative nearly-magical source of energy like brimstone in Deadlands or whale oil in Dishonored, the latter effectively being steampunk in "oilpunk" outfit.

[Dalillama]

Whale oil can't work for the same reason as charcoal: not enough whales. To have an industrial revolution, you need copious fossil fuels, copious natural fissiles (and a lot of luck*) or copious handwavium.


*and even then only maybe

[Erling]

Handwavium and supernatural properties of whale oil, yes. In Dishonored universe whale oil has very high energetic capacity. Just like brimstone (not merely sulfur, but a supernatural mineral) in Deadlands.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by Erling

Handwavium and supernatural properties of whale oil, yes. In Dishonored universe whale oil has very high energetic capacity. Just like brimstone (not merely sulfur, but a supernatural mineral) in Deadlands.

Unless it's as energetic as, amtimatter, you're still gonna run out of whales in the medium term if you try running an industrial base 9ff them.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Dalillama

To have an industrial revolution, you need copious fossil fuels, copious natural fissiles (and a lot of luck*) or copious handwavium.

revolution, yes. TL 5-6? maybe. It will take longer than in history, and it won't look quite like a revolution, but I suspect you'll eventually get enough technology, infrastructure, and resources built up to start getting the appropriate technology levels.

I don't know how steam punk that would look though.

[AlexanderHowl]

You would get a society that was TL5 divergent. With the development of TL5 (+2) optics, you could start developing solar energy, allowing for the development of a hydrogen economy. With the hydrogen economy, you could start to explore space, though you would likely have very different spaceships than our spacecraft.

[Dalillama]

Originally Posted by ericthered

revolution, yes. TL 5-6? maybe. It will take longer than in history, and it won't look quite like a revolution, but I suspect you'll eventually get enough technology, infrastructure, and resources built up to start getting the appropriate technology levels.

I don't know how steam punk that would look though.

I'd expect something like SkyHolm or the Maurai Federation from Orion Shall Rise.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Dalillama

Unless it's as energetic as, amtimatter, you're still gonna run out of whales in the medium term if you try running an industrial base 9ff them.

They're not burning it. It somehow magically is used to directly generate electricity.

And no, it doesn't need to have anywhere near the energy yield of antimatter. Whale oil with the energy yield of uranium fuel rods would be plenty to last rather a while. (Of course, Dishonored is pretty dystopian, so the economy being dangerously unsustainable is probably a feature.)

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

You would get a society that was TL5 divergent. With the development of TL5 (+2) optics, you could start developing solar energy, allowing for the development of a hydrogen economy. With the hydrogen economy, you could start to explore space, though you would likely have very different spaceships than our spacecraft.

Also atomic energy, which is totally compatible with steampunk (IIRC, most modern nuclear reactors still provide power by using the reactor's heat to boil water, and have the spine a steam turbine or similar). That likewise can get you to a hydrogen economy...

[Flyndaran]

I know there was a thread sometime about how low tech nuclear power could be developed. But I don't remember anything more specific.

A problem with that tech is power transmission without electricity and wires. That seems like it would negate the whole steampunk feel.
I suppose one could handwave superscience micro-nuclear generators.