Solar Dreams: a history of solar energy (1878 - 2025)

[generalurist]

Oxy-firing a steam engine ain't trivial even in the modern day, even if you don't start oxidizing things other than the fuel. Without exhaust re circulation or other measures you can easily get combustion temperatures that will jeapordize the structural strength of your combustion chamber and heat exchangers. An oxygen powered train sure will be spectacular, but oxy-firing will probably see most use in internal combustion powered military vehicles.

Structural concerns aside, the power and efficiency benefits of LOX probably aren't worth losing the ability to just scavenge your oxidizer from air. But if you can't... well, we just might see air-independent propulsion for submarines develop MUCH earlier. (On the other hand, that stuff never really caught on OTL with LOX after WW2, so IDK if you could make it work with WW1 materials).

What exactly is the "Accelerator Investment methodology", and how early is it compared to OTL? Something like OTL startup acceleration?

Liquid nitrogen would also allow cryogenic quenching to create extremely hard steels, and shrink fitting fabrication techniques would open interesting construction possibilities for machinery and engineering.

Interesting. Is that something used to any scale OTL, in steel making or machinery? If it's useful I figure it would, given LN2 is pretty easy to get in the latter half of the 20th century?

Oh....I know it is a bit too far down the timeline, but does the last sentence mean that any market gains due to additional advancement in electric cars ITTL being quickly canceled out by the much more improved ICE?

Non-stationary electric devices will inevitably suffer from energy storage problems and there's not much that can be done to accelerate battery development. Electrics might se more inner-city use, but the dominance of the ICE in cars is hard to avert. In any case, while metallurgy might go a little faster than OTL I don't expect huge changes. The added capital and oxidizer costs of an oxy-fired personal vehicle, plus the inconvenience of not being able to store LOX for as long as gas, will probably limit them to niche luxuries.

 

[Workable Goblin]

Interesting. Is that something used to any scale OTL, in steel making or machinery?

Yes, at least for shrink-fitting. The ISABELLE particle accelerator I wrote a story about in my signature used this precise method to fit its magnets in casings, for structural reasons--they wanted the casings to be very tight to keep the magnets from flexing, and to provide a very even distribution of stresses to avoid overloading the delicate superconducting materials they were using, which cryogenic shrink-fitting provides.

Now, the approach they (initially) took to doing this created some problems, but later on they figured out how to do it properly; they were going to make at least hundreds and possibly a thousand or more magnets (it's been a while, I don't remember off the top of my head), which is some degree of scale--besides which, the technique itself was not really something they were inventing, from what I recall, or at least it wasn't discussed like it was something they were inventing.

 

[e of pi]

Yes, at least for shrink-fitting. The ISABELLE particle accelerator I wrote a story about in my signature used this precise method to fit its magnets in casings, for structural reasons--they wanted the casings to be very tight to keep the magnets from flexing, and to provide a very even distribution of stresses to avoid overloading the delicate superconducting materials they were using, which cryogenic shrink-fitting provides.

Now, the approach they (initially) took to doing this created some problems, but later on they figured out how to do it properly; they were going to make at least hundreds and possibly a thousand or more magnets (it's been a while, I don't remember off the top of my head), which is some degree of scale--besides which, the technique itself was not really something they were inventing, from what I recall, or at least it wasn't discussed like it was something they were inventing.

It's a pretty standard way to do an interference fit---create a difference in temperature so thermal expansion creates a gap that isn't there with the parts at the same temperature, and insert. (In reverse, you can pull the same trick with a stuck metal lid on a glass jar that won't unscrew: run it under hot water. While the top of the jar and the metal lid heat up about the same amount, the metal has more expansion per degree, so it'll grow more than the glass, and create more slack to unscrew the lid.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_fit#Thermal_expansion_or_contraction

 

[ScorchedLight]

Oxy-firing a steam engine ain't trivial even in the modern day, even if you don't start oxidizing things other than the fuel. Without exhaust re circulation or other measures you can easily get combustion temperatures that will jeapordize the structural strength of your combustion chamber and heat exchangers. An oxygen powered train sure will be spectacular, but oxy-firing will probably see most use in internal combustion powered military vehicles.

Structural concerns aside, the power and efficiency benefits of LOX probably aren't worth losing the ability to just scavenge your oxidizer from air. But if you can't... well, we just might see air-independent propulsion for submarines develop MUCH earlier. (On the other hand, that stuff never really caught on OTL with LOX after WW2, so IDK if you could make it work with WW1 materials).

Liquid oxygen will be far more valuable as an industrial gas than as an engine booster.

However, there's some temporal bias in stating that. We're way past the Find Out phase, whereas pioneers in the 1890s will be in the beginning of the Fuck Around phase. They will eventually learn that it is more useful to reach high temperatures on a furnace than on a boiler.

But, in the meantime, the allure of coal burning bright and clean under pure oxygen will result in a lot of exploded locomotives.

What exactly is the "Accelerator Investment methodology", and how early is it compared to OTL? Something like OTL startup acceleration?

A similar concept to Angel Investors or venture capitalism. Developed put of necessity, as the investor in England couldn't directly supervise or manage the development in the United States.

Basically: "the idea is viable and follows pur current understanding of science, thus it is possible to turn it into a commercial product. Here's the money to do it, we want a cut of the profits."

Interesting. Is that something used to any scale OTL, in steel making or machinery? If it's useful I figure it would, given LN2 is pretty easy to get in the latter half of the 20th century?

Indeed, it is used to harden steels. It isn't a common technique, though:

Non-stationary electric devices will inevitably suffer from energy storage problems and there's not much that can be done to accelerate battery development. Electrics might se more inner-city use, but the dominance of the ICE in cars is hard to avert. In any case, while metallurgy might go a little faster than OTL I don't expect huge changes. The added capital and oxidizer costs of an oxy-fired personal vehicle, plus the inconvenience of not being able to store LOX for as long as gas, will probably limit them to niche luxuries.

There are vast lithium deposits near the Atacama desert, which will result in an early discovery of its properties.
However, I'd agree with you that it wouldn't change much: a lithium battery is very difficult to safely charge without precise electronic control. Even if Nikola Tesla received a functional sample, the blueprints and the materials needed to build one, he'd produce a combustible paperweight at best without the knowledge on how to charge them.

 

[Sceonn]

I really wonder how this will affect population figures in tropical regions by the second millennium.

 

[focus9912]

I really wonder how this will affect population figures in tropical regions by the second millennium.

Agreed. Now I wonder what is actually happening in Australia, especially since it is approaching a time, that a certain American arrived to manage some mines IOTL.

 

[ScorchedLight]

June 1890
Cairo, Egypt

Tahira and her girls crossed the gate of the factory during her lunch break. The dye works had a kitchen, but Ibrahim didn't think that serving anything but slop was a good investment. And an enterprising businessman had set up a business just across the street to cater to the workers. It wasn't cheap, but it wasn't unaffordable either. And as her salary increased along her responsibilities, she was able to pay for such luxuries.
Which made the offer from the joint's owner a welcome suprise.
- Are you the lady of the sun? - He asked.
- The what? - Tahira asked in return, confused.
- The lady who taught all those women how to operate the sun mirrors?
- Uhm... yes, I've been doing that lately. Why do you ask?
- I have a proposal for you. We have installed one of those sun mirrors, but we can't make it work, at least not as it was promised it would work. They say that you taught all those women how to operate the machines. If you could do the same for my wife and daughters, and then come to visit say... twice a month to make sure it is working as intended? You'd just need to check how it is working, it shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes.
- And what would I get out of this?
- Well, in exchange you can eat in this establishment for free. As long as it is reasonable, of course.
Tahira knew a good deal when she saw one, so she immediately agreed. She even requested to see the machine immediately. The owner agreed, and guided her to the rooftop to see the boiler.

It was a dud. Someone built something that looked like a Solar Boiler, without understanding the fundamentals behind it. The curve wasn't parabolic but circular, and thus unfit to concentrate the sunbeams to the heating pipe. The pipe wasn't properly centered, and was straight instead of coiled.
- This won't work. Not in this state. - She told the man. - I won't be able to teach your workers how to use this device, because this isn't an actual device.
The joint owner look at her, and then at the machine.
- So I was duped?
- I don't know... who sold you this?
- A travelling salesman. He said he was from Ankara.
- You were duped, and you won't be getting that money back. Also, the construction is rather shoddy. The gears are made of iron, not steel. - She said, noting the sound it made when struck with a rock. - They will wear in short order.
- Are you sure you are a woman? - The man asked, joking.
- Last time I checked, yes. - She said in a deadpan manner, lacking any amusement in her voice. The man backed off.
- I am sorry, it is just that I am surprised that you'd know so much about machines.
- I have years of experienced with them. And I can tell you right now that it isn't possible for this machine to work. It looks like one.
- You'd think that spending good money on this would guarantee a working product. But alas, I think I'll have to scrap it. I am sorry to waste your time, your next three meals are on the house. - He said, resigned.
- So de deal is off?
- You can't teach my staff to use a machine that is useless, you said so yourself.

Those words caused the equivalent of a heartbreak in her stomach. The food was good, and getting it for free was an excellent deal. A deal that wouldn't be possible without a working machine... and so
- Perhaps we can make it work? - She suggested.
- How so? It is a dud.
- It is. But the mirrors are there, and the tracking mechanism works well enough. We can replace some parts, make those we need, and then get this thing to work. It won't be the same as one produced in England, but I can gauge that it'd be enough for your needs. You'll pay for this, of course. And you will feed me in the meantime.
- Deal. At least I know where to find you if I am scammed again.

Valparaíso, Chile

Constantino Serrano took his hat off as he passed through Arturo Prat's monument. He didn't know if Chile would've won the war without his sacrifice, as he could see how the mood changed after the battle of Iquique, how the men became determined to honour his memory. He owed the path his life had taken to Prat. And it was a good path, despite the limping leg. He had made a fortune working on something meaningful. And in good company, as both Alejandro and Augustin proved to be good friends.

He was so accustomed to it, that he had come to dread the clouds and rain, for it meant lost productivity and the shutdown of the manufacturing plant. But still, Valparaiso looked beautiful in its mess of colours and sounds. He spent his time in good hotels, good restaurants and good cafés. In those places, he met his prospective clients and potential business partners. He lamented coming alone, for his schedule was too busy to appreciate the city. Only the occasional squad of British Redcoats reminded him that the city was under occupation.
He had secured contracts for solar collectors in Peru and occupied Tacna, for temperature regulation devices with several Nitrate companies, and particularly large one for sanitary sterilization equipment with the government of Bolivia. And he, in turn, had granted a contract to a German firm to build a pipe factory in Almonte, after Isidora Goyenechea decided that it'd be cheaper to build the specialized pipes in situ than to import them from Europe. The Franco-Chilena could afford such an investment, and even keep the newly formed company operating at a loss if needed be.

But this meeting would prove to be the most interesting one. It wasn't a planned one, but rather someone had requested a reunion as soon as possible to discuss "technological breakthroughs" which could interest the company. He received some of those. Either they were minor ideas that could help, or unworkable pipe dreams by cranks who either didn't know something wouldn't work or thought Constantino wouldn't. Still, it was one of those ideas which led him to his current position.
That someone turned out to be a familiar face, although it took a while for Constantino to recognize him.
- I remember now! You were the Commander from the Royal Navy in Tarapacá. Damian Cottrell, isn't it?
- Damien, with an e. And yes, I was there in the aftermath of that... regrettable business.
- A senseless massacre. To bring such a shame after bringing glory to the country... it boggles the mind.
- It does. Some people back home are still angry over it.
- It's understandable. Anyway, how have you been? I understand that you started a company with the design of our first boiler. - Constantino said, without grudge in his voice.
- Not quite, my brother did. They're selling quite well around the British Empire and its surroundings. Australia in particular is a huge market with the recent ore discoveries. I help him in my free time, and act as a promoter of sorts for his business.
- That's good, I'm glad he's doing alright. - Constantino said, surprising himself. He was genuinely happy for a man who had stolen a few years of his work, but who had also set him in a better, if rougher, path. How about you? I don't see you wearing your colours anymore.
- Oh, this is me enjoying my Leave. I don't like wearing my uniform everywhere, but that doesn't mean I'm not Captain in the Her Majesty's Navy.
- A toast for our respective prosperity! - Constantino said. Both men raised their cups of wine and drank. How are things with our friends from England?
- I'm not at liberty to discuss much. But I can tell you that the Chilean Government has requested the American ships to not make port in your cities, as it'd interfere with our mutual agreement.
- Oh, that. That's ought to be the end of that, isn't it?
- It should. Both the US Embassy in Santiago and the Chilean Embassy in Washington have received the request. But that Egan fellow could stir problems.
- What sort of problems?
- Problems I am not at liberty to discuss. - Cottrell said. - Anyway, let's discuss about business. We've seen that you have made some spectacular advances in cryonics... and you have patented them quite thoroughly.
- We have, it is a promising technology, and we have found some uses for it.
- But you lack a way to store the resulting liquid air, don't you?
- How did you know? - Constantino asked.
- Augustin Mouchot is in contact with researchers in Europe, who are very interested in his breakthroughs. One of them is an associate of my brother Morgan. He told us about your problems.
- It isn't much of a problem nowadays, we've found that wool is a good insulator and can store the liquid for minutes. Enough to be used in...
- Is that really true?
That question pierced his rhetoric. It could maybe retard evaporation, but not actually store the liquid.
- No, it isn't.
- Well, my brother's associate has found a way to actually store very cryonic liquids. In fact, I have one the first prototypes here in Valparaiso. Morgan is willing to lend it to the Franco-Chilena over a gentleman's agreement to not interfere in the patenting process in Chile. Consider it a gesture of gratitude over the Solar Boiler. What comes after, I leave it up to you. My brother Morgan loves to compete, and he will continue to do so with in the international market, but he also admires the work done by you and Mouchot and wants to see what you are capable of achieving when given the means.
- So that's it? No strings attached?
- You'll see that we have already started the patenting process here in Chile, so you'd need to hurry if you really want to steal the technology. But you aren't a thief. Maybe keep Morgan informed of your advances. If you feel so inclined.

Constantino admitted to himself he was unprepared for this kind of business meeting. How do you bargain with someone who expects nothing in return?

For the intensity that reached the Solar Race in the 1890s and 1900s, it is surprising to find that the two main players during this period had cordial relations and were even willing to share technology and contacts when needed. Although it is often speculated that these relationships were the result of pure business calculations, recent epistolary research shows that both Mouchot and Cottrell enjoyed technological development as a process and were willing to share their research with third parties whenever the interests of their respective companies didn't impede it. It also helped to create markets with mature technologies seemingly overnight. This cooperation, paradoxically, fueled the intense competition that marked the next stage of the Solar Industry.

 

[CountDVB]

So much wonderful progress and still one of the most fascinating timelines ever

 

[Mad Bad Rabbit]

[ If you try to store liquid oxygen in wool won't you end up with a violent deflagration ? ]

 

[Sceonn]

Looks like Egypt's young girls will get an interesting female icon to look up to in the future. Would desalination be feasible with solar?

 

[focus9912]

Yes..., I were quite surprised that those two get along (unless I am forgetting something). Glad to see that you came back @ScorchedLight . I wonder the development in Egypt affect its neighbours by now.

Would desalination be feasible with solar?

In regard to this,

The solar desalinizator is, in fact, real and was used before the War of the Pacific. Here's a photo of the system taken in 1908:

As for Mouchot's designs, I'm using the design seen in the 1878 Universal Expo.

I think is more of how and when it is feasible. We will wait and see how much better it is 18 years from where the timeline currently set right now.

 

[Missingnoleader]

Think this update needs to be threadmarked.

 

[PolishMagnet]

Very cool timeline!

Watched

 

[Ogrebear]

Liking the big solar companies are working together.

The moment in Egypt was very nice too- be interesting to see where that leads.

 

[holyknight]

Liking the big solar companies are working together.

The moment in Egypt was very nice too- be interesting to see where that leads.

As things go, it will mark the start of Energy Autarky on a level....

With Solar Energy to replace most daily functions that before required wood or coal, it means that quite a few people will have a higher percentage of their limited finances free for improvements and expansions... At least between 2/3 to 3/4 of the amount of time and money spent on fuel sources on Egypt for those people suddenly becomes available..... That will certainly cause a cascade effect....

 

[generalurist]

You forgot to threadmark the latest update.

Scammers gonna scam, oh well. Tahira is one cool woman though! Looks like she's in position to be a leading solar energy mechanic in the future! Glad things are stable in Chile for now, though it sounds like things could still heat up with the yanks...

 

[ScorchedLight]

[ If you try to store liquid oxygen in wool won't you end up with a violent deflagration ? ]

The wool was used as a coat. A literal coat.

The Franco Chilena was way out of its depth tackling that problem.

Yes..., I were quite surprised that those two get along (unless I am forgetting something). Glad to see that you came back @ScorchedLight . I wonder the development in Egypt affect its neighbours by now.

In regard to this,

I think is more of how and when it is feasible. We will wait and see how much better it is 18 years from where the timeline currently set right now.

The problem with desalinization will always be cost of opportunity: the marginal cost of energy will rarely be low enough to justify its use in something that doesn't produce a good return, such as water production.

However, deserts will be precisely the places where energy is cheap and abundant in this TL, so that might change.

As things go, it will mark the start of Energy Autarky on a level....

With Solar Energy to replace most daily functions that before required wood or coal, it means that quite a few people will have a higher percentage of their limited finances free for improvements and expansions... At least between 2/3 to 3/4 of the amount of time and money spent on fuel sources on Egypt for those people suddenly becomes available..... That will certainly cause a cascade effect....

Indeed. One thing that will have societal effects is the sinergistic nature of heat storage: the larger a heat store, the slower it exchanges its heat with the environment.

You forgot to threadmark the latest update.

Scammers gonna scam, oh well. Tahira is one cool woman though! Looks like she's in position to be a leading solar energy mechanic in the future! Glad things are stable in Chile for now, though it sounds like things could still heat up with the yanks...

The Balmaceda administration is in a weird place: it had to drastically change its ambitious infrastructure and public spending program, but the opossition that would topple him in OTL have been thoroughly discredited and hold very little power. The Chilean State has effectively lost the wealth beneath the desert, but right now it is the only government that suspects solar energy will be important.

 

[e of pi]

I hope you saw you got nominated for the Spaceflight and Technology Turtledove again!

2023 Turtledoves - (Closes (26/02/23) - Best Spaceflight and Technology Timeline Nominations and Seconds

This thread is only for Nominations, Seconds, and Nomination Corrections for Spaceflight and Technology Timelines. Furthermore, this award is only applicable to Timelines that are primarily focused on the topics of Spaceflight and Technology and not regular timelines that touch upon spaceflight...

www.alternatehistory.com

 

[ScorchedLight]

I hope you saw you got nominated for the Spaceflight and Technology Turtledove again!

2023 Turtledoves - (Closes (26/02/23) - Best Spaceflight and Technology Timeline Nominations and Seconds

This thread is only for Nominations, Seconds, and Nomination Corrections for Spaceflight and Technology Timelines. Furthermore, this award is only applicable to Timelines that are primarily focused on the topics of Spaceflight and Technology and not regular timelines that touch upon spaceflight...

www.alternatehistory.com

I finally can answer to this, as I've been busy with IRL stuff! But it is an honour to be considered for a Turtledove!

Anyways, I'm writing the next chapter

 

[ScorchedLight]

July, 1890
Almonte, Tarapacá

Augustin Mouchot had forgotten what rain felt like, and that he liked it. It was a cold rain, too boot. The kind of rain that prompted people to stay indoors and enjoy their time inside. The kind of rain that made his machines fall silent, and the workers to go home with their families, or to the school they had made for themselves. Almonte had changed quite a lot since they established their first solar laboratory, from barely a village in a crossroads to a proper town with a sewage system, cobblestone streets, and gaslight lamps. It wasn't luxurious, but people in Almonte lived comfortable lives, in comparison to the squalor of the nitrate mines that surrounded it. That such place had been born out of his idea had a strangely humbling effect on Augustin Mouchot: the idea was his, but the implementation took the effort of dozens, perhaps hundreds of people, and a series of happy accidents that were, on the whole, highly unlikely.
But they had happened, and so he was here in the study room of his private home, making stoichiometric equations on pure oxygen reactions on an blackboard. Combustion, steelmaking, controlled oxidation... he wasn't a chemist, but the possibilities were too intriguing to not pay some consideration to them. Within a week of receiving the Dewar Flask he had reverse engineered it - for study uses only, of course - and in another week he had developed from it a still that separated liquid air into its components. Honoring Cottrell's gentleman's agreement, he sent a letter describing the new device and proposing a fifty-fifty split on the intellectual property. The reactivity of pure oxygen was as fascinating as the ironclad stability of nitrogen, and the uses of both would change several industries once large scale production of liquid air could begin.

And so, the unexpected knocks on his door felt downright apocalyptic when they reached his ears. The study was directly above the gate of his house, and so he leaned against the window and asked who was asking for him, before Eulalia, his maid, could answer. Alejandro's voice met the challenge, and told him that he was urgently needed back at the offices of the Franco-Chilena, that there was an urgent matter to discuss.
- What could be so important? I am working on some equations that might help direct future research.
- Three ships from the US Navy have arrived at Valparaiso. Things are moving fast in the port. And the British have issued a blockade in all Chilean ports as a result.
- What? Why?
- Augustin, could you come with me to the offices? We have no idea what is going on and Constantino is burning through a lot of favours with his military friends to gather information. I don't want to catch a damn cold in the driest fucking place on the world and die from it.
- Oh. - Augustin snapped out from his research fixation. - Get inside while I get my coat.

It was a short ride, and in the meantime Alejandro gave Augustin what little else he knew: The US ships had at dawn, taking advantage of the night to avoid detection until the last possible moment. The Royal Navy ships had issued a blockade and were on high alert as a result, until the situation with the Chilean authorities had been clarified.
- And do you suspect that there's some sort alliance with the US on this matter? To expell the British?
- I don't know. All I've heard is what Constantino told me. - He answered before stepping down from the coach, and into the offices of the Franco-Chilena.

Already inside there was Constantino Serrano, Chief EngineerJean Laurain, the worker's representative Avelino Quispe, and the new representative of Isidora Goyenechea's interests. Augustin hadn't learned his name yet.

- Augustin, you're here at last. We can begin. - Constantino said - All of you already know that USN ships have arrived at the port of Valparaiso, and the Royal Navy had responded by closing every port of notice in Chile. What I've told some of you, according to my sources in the Army Staff and some friends in the Navy, is that the blockade will last until the Royal Navy Commander had been given assurances that the Chilean Government isn't acting in concert with the one of the United States.
- Well... is it? - Augustin asked.
- No. Of course not. An Adjutant to Commander Williams Rebolledo sent me a telegram telling me that there's photographic evidence of contact between the USS Dolphin and the ACH Esmeralda, and that a British officer was witness to the prohibition for foreign warships to enter Chilean ports, unless imminent loss of life warranted it. So far, the Chilean government hasn't been able to reach the witness, but the photographic evidence should be enough to keep things from escalating further between Santiago and London.
- And what about the US ships?
- Three Protected Cruisers of recent manufacture: USS Atlanta, USS Boston and USS Chicago.
- Huh. Cute. - Alejandro said, noticing the pattern.
- As they are, the three ships are a match for the Royal Navy units currently in Valparaiso. But the brits have more ships in other ports. And could commandeer the ships of the Chilean Navy, as they've done regularly.
- So... the US and the UK have chosen our country to play their power game? - Asked Alejandro.
- That's pretty much it.
- And how could it affect us?
- Well, for one we don't know how long the blockade will last. If it is for the long haul, then we'll have trouble meeting our contractual obligations in Europe. It will also retard the construction of our manufacturing facilities, and the delivery of specialized alloys. Production will decrease. That's the worst case, though. And an unlikely one at that, since the Chilean government has a track record of cooperation with London over the Tarapacá Massacre. The most likely scenario is that this issue will be solved within a month, after which production will resume as normal. It found us in a bad place as we're light on some production parts, but it won't be critical. - Constantino answered.
- What about... if things go bad between the United States and the United Kingdom? - Asked Avelino Quispe.
- In that case, it will depend. If the war is fought in Chilean waters, then we're in for a bad time. If both the British and US ships depart and take their war elsewhere, then the Chilean Navy ought to reactivate as per the treaty, which states that our country has the right to have a defensive fleet protecting its waters. But that again is unlikely.
- So, what will we do as a company?
- For now, we need to check our stocks and work in fulfilling our current work orders. We will probably have to take a loss and export through Argentina for the most urgent ones. After that, we'll have to increase prices to discourage new orders and make up for the increased costs. We're in for a rough couple of weeks, at the very least.

The sudden onset of the Valparaiso Crisis came as a shock to the managers of the Franco-Chilena, as it did for most of the country. Overnight, the international and commercial context for the Chilean company which had grown accustomed to its prosperity. Indeed, it had more to lose than its neighbouring nitrate companies due to its dependency of imported materials and parts. A total blockade would mean a backslide into less refined products, reduced output and, in the long term, the financial unsustainability of the world's first Solar Energy company.