Chapter 15: The Meeting - The Energy Problem
“Let’s start with energy,” Xiao Zishan said, turning to the Energy Group. “Energy is key. With electricity, we can use everything from modern machinery to computers—all of which will give us a decisive advantage. What are the Energy Group’s thoughts on our power supply?”
The speaker from the Energy Group was Chang Kaishen, a temporary worker who had spent five years at a subsidiary of a major power company—the kind of man who did the most work, got the least pay, and took all the blame.
“Given our situation,” he began, “I propose a power strategy centered on hydropower, supplemented by thermal and wind power.
“Hydropower has many benefits, but for us, the most important is that it doesn’t require fuel. It’s a one-time investment for a near-infinite power source.
“Rural small-scale hydropower equipment is simple, easy to install, and inexpensive. It can operate with a water head of only five or six meters. The technology is mature, and the units are standardized, making maintenance easy.
“We also need thermal power. Diesel generators are convenient, require no installation, and can be used anywhere. They will be our main source of power in the early stages.”
A hand shot up. “The diesel will run out, won’t it? What then?”
“Diesel engines can be easily modified,” someone from the Energy Group said. “I remember reading that peanut oil can be used.”
“I don’t know about peanut oil,” Chang Kaishen said, “but diesel engines can be converted to run on gas. I saw many small power stations in the countryside using gas engines. It shouldn’t be difficult.”
“I think we’ll be able to produce our own diesel in the future,” Xiao Zishan said. “Please continue.”
“Alright. To avoid putting all our eggs in one basket, we should bring a mix of small and medium-power diesel generators, small hydropower units, and small wind turbines. As for wind turbines, they’re low-power and unstable, but they’re simple to set up and would be suitable as backup power for living areas and independent strongholds.”
He smiled. “Of course, electricity is more complicated than that. It involves transmission, distribution, and transformation. But that’s a more technical discussion. It will take some time to develop a specific plan.”
The next topic was the substitution of petroleum products. They would need fuel for not only their generators but also their motorcycles, cars, and boats. Gasoline and diesel couldn’t be stored for long. If they couldn’t produce their own fuel, there was no point in bringing too many vehicles.
“I dare not agree with the moderator,” said Luo Duo, the next speaker from the Energy Group. He was a man who had posted numerous lengthy treatises on energy in their online discussions. “But I hear the moderator is a liberal arts student, so it’s understandable.”
Xiao Zishan’s face flushed. “Liberal arts student” had become a term of contempt, a source of constant irritation. He suppressed his indignation and forced a calm expression.
“This is still a prime mover problem,” Luo Duo continued, oblivious to the moderator’s resentment. “Ships, cars, motorcycles—they can all be driven by non-petroleum fuels. The problem of petroleum substitutes is not an urgent one.
“Most petroleum-based engines can be converted to run on gas. There will be some power loss, but at the end of World War II, the Germans were experimenting with gas generators on armored personnel carriers and tanks, so the power is still acceptable. The technology is simple and practical.
“And let’s not forget the steam engine. It’s the engine of the Industrial Revolution.”
“Can we even buy steam engines anymore?” someone from the Mechanical Group asked. “Don’t tell me you expect us to build them.”
“You’re machinery guys, aren’t you?” Luo Duo retorted. “A steam engine is a 19th-century product! Our prime movers can’t run on reserves forever.”
The Mechanical Group huddled together. “We understand the principle of the steam engine,” Ma Qianzhu said, “and there are plenty of design materials available. We’re confident we can build one. The boiler is the main difficulty. It all depends on the quality of the materials we can get, which depends on the metallurgy department.”
“The metallurgy department is currently part of the Industrial Group,” Xiao Zishan explained. “I believe we have a professional in that field.”
“That’s right, we have a university student majoring in metallurgy.” A few people chuckled, and a young man smiled sheepishly.
“Your group should coordinate a plan. Please continue.”
“That’s all I can think of for now,” Luo Duo said, a hint of fatigue in his voice.
“Why not consider biodiesel?” someone asked. “There have been many reports on it recently. Many countries are already using it.”
“Yes, I remember there’s a kind of kerosene tree in Hainan. The oil that flows out can be used to light lamps.”
“It can only be used to light lamps,” Ma Qianzhu said. “It’s not real kerosene. And biodiesel is not a simple technology. The oil produced from oil crops has to be modified. And a few trees won’t be enough. You need a plantation of over a hundred mu to have a viable supply.”
“And the oil nanmu,” someone from the Agriculture Group added, “only grows in areas with better water and temperature conditions than Lingao and Danzhou.”
“We can boil pine root oil,” another voice suggested. “The Japanese did it during World War II to refine aviation gasoline.”
“The cost-effectiveness is abysmal. The Japanese mobilized their entire population to refine a few tens of thousands of barrels. And Hainan doesn’t have that many pine roots.”
“What about alcohol?” the biofuel contingent pressed.
“It can be used as a substitute, but its calorific value is too low, and it causes engine carbon deposits. It’s not ideal.”
“I have another point of view on the issue of petroleum substitutes,” a man named Zhong Lishi said. “I design oil shale retorting equipment. I once designed equipment for a refinery in Danzhou, Hainan.
“The city has rich oil shale reserves. The products from oil shale retorting can be refined into various petroleum products. Manufacturing gasoline and diesel is not a problem.”
“Where is Danzhou?” someone whispered.
“Just west of Lingao. Very close.”
“Then this is a valuable resource.”
“The Changpo oil shale has an oil content of 5.1% and is associated with lignite. The main mining method is open-pit.
“We can use a Maoming-style furnace for processing. Each furnace can process 50 tons of ore per day, with an oil recovery rate of 60%. That’s 1.5 tons of crude oil per day, per furnace, not including by-products like gasoline and ammonia.
“A small plant with a daily processing capacity of 1600 tons—that’s 32 furnaces, plus heating furnaces, ventilation fans, washing and cooling towers, and chimneys—I have ready-made design drawings for all of this. The equipment is not difficult to manufacture. Such a plant could produce 48 tons of crude oil per day, as well as gasoline, ammonia, coal gas, and phenol. All very useful.
“The crude oil from oil shale is of very good quality and can be refined into high-quality diesel. I believe that both diesel and gasoline engines can operate normally, without the need for any gas engines.”
“1600 tons per day!” Luo Duo exclaimed. “Even if we all go and carry rocks, it won’t be enough!”
“For an oil shale refinery, this is a very small scale,” Zhong Lishi said with the inscrutable smile of a high-level intellectual. “In the real world, they use trains and belt conveyors. The refinery I worked with had several sets of equipment with even greater capacity.
“If you think the oil yield of Changpo is too low, the oil shale in Shandong is of the best quality, with an oil content of up to 22%. If we still can’t exploit petroleum in ten or twenty years, we can consider taking over Shandong first.”
A murmur went through the crowd. Several members of the Sports Group were huddled over a map of China.
“Let the Energy Group include this in the long-term plan,” Wen Desi said. “We’ll see what our manufacturing capabilities are. Let’s continue.” He looked at Xiao Zishan, who nodded.