Steam to the rescue

As we know or should know our Electricity comes from steam. The coal or nuclear merely brings the water to the boil then to steam and the steam is the force which turns the dynamos and thus electricity. A simple steam engine is still producing energy today as it did in the years gone by. All the electric trains in the cities are still running indirectly on coal.

Our railway system was once the best in the world until successive Governments vandalised it through neglect. That system has many millions of man hours spent in building it with less than 3% slope so the steel wheels would not slip.

Our transport system today uses imported trucks, imported fuel, imported tyres and imported spare parts. Trucks have to climb and descend mountains which cost much more fuel and faster wear on the imported brakes and imported tyres. On the other hand our rail has had the hills and valleys levelled so no waste of energy.

Possible answer;

We use steam engines with recycling water and the energy comes from natural gas. As the engine moves along the recycling of the water means in a few short kilometres the water in the reserve is almost boiling so less gas is required to heat the water. The gas can be turned up or down as the energy is required.

Benefits;

Local, Australian jobs, to improve our rail system, and build these modern steam engines.

Less importation and reliance on trucks, tyres, and fuel.

From a defence point of view we need to have a back up system of transport in case we are thwarted by blockade of shipping which stops us from accessing our imported trucks, fuel, tyres and spare parts. We have sufficient natural gas in Australia to achieve this plan, the water is reused so no wastage of scarce resources.

Our city rail requires enormous supply of electricity which comes from coal.

As we generate the electricity and deliver it to the required locations a loss is incurred something in the vicinity of 20% is lost just in conducting it along the wires. The further the distance, the greater loss is incurred. Sometimes up to 30% is lost. So each 1000 truck loads of coal delivered to the power station up to 300 truck loads is wasted.

When the gas is used to heat the already hot recycled water in the mobile steam engine there is no loss as it is used as required.

Steam could be used in many factories where oil is being used today.

With less electricity required the concept of green power is more realistic.

Australia is exporting natural gas to China for many years to come. We as a country should begin to use this resource as well.