Chapter 490 Energy Regulation (Monthly Pass Plus)

The electric revolution is not just about lighting, some small appliances with little technical content have also begun to emerge as the times require.

For example: an electric fan is one of the accidental products, and the inventor is a skilled worker.

The reason is to cool the equipment. He dislikes the use of mechanical fans and wants to create a fan that does not require manual operation.

With an idea, an iron piece was added to the motor. After connecting the power supply, the blades turned rapidly, and the earliest electric fan was born.

Originally, Franz thought that another great scientist was born. After investigation, it was found that this was an ordinary skilled worker. Apart from accidentally inventing the electric fan, I have no talent for scientific research.

Real-life cases once again prove that technological inventions are full of coincidences. There are many similar cases, and many practical technological inventions are made by ordinary people.

This strengthened Franz's determination to add hands-on ability courses in education, so starting in 1871, students in Austria had another practical course.

It's like a joke in later generations: the real scholar is able to build a nuclear reactor in his own garage.

This kind of talent is what Austria needs most. Coming to the forefront of the scientific and technological revolution, now Austria has no objects to copy, and the original copycat empire now has to carry out independent innovation.

Franz rarely intervenes in this regard. If a country wants to be truly powerful, it must have the ability to develop independently, rather than being led by the emperor.

The achievements of previous lives can certainly be used to avoid detours, but for a country, this can only be used as an aid. Once it becomes a dependency, it is a disaster.

Usually Franz just raises the demand, and how to achieve it is the matter of the scientists. It’s good to succeed, but it’s okay to fail. Scientific research has never been smooth sailing, and it is impossible without going through trials and tribulations.

Of course, this also has something to do with Franz's scumbag attributes in his previous life. As an ordinary person, I have always just enjoyed the convenience brought by technology. Who cares about how these technological products are made?

Just relying on a little knowledge I saw online, it’s okay not to take it out. If you really take it out, it will be a bad thing.

The economic conference is still going on. At this time, everyone is discussing how to promote the popularization of electric power technology. To sum up, there are two points:

One is to reduce taxes for companies engaged in the power industry, and in this way, reduce the operating costs of power companies;

The second is to reduce the price of raw materials, or to reduce the price of copper and rubber, thereby reducing the cost of electricity promotion.

The method is so crude and not so technical. The first problem to be faced with the promotion of any new technology is cost.

Only when the cost is within the controllable range, can there be economic value; only when the economic value is first, can it be promoted in the market.

Electricity has been around for many years, why is it only now being promoted? It is not because of the birth of high-power generators that the cost of power generation has been reduced to the range that the market can bear.

Now only 500 grams of coal is needed for one kilowatt-hour of electricity. If it is high-calorie coal, the consumption is even smaller, and the cost is already within the acceptable range of the market.

Seeing the constant controversy, Franz couldn't help but want to speak. But he still held back, and during the intermission, Franz summoned the Prime Minister alone.

Austria is not short of coal. In terms of reserves, it is only the Russian Empire on the European continent. This is the advantage of a large site. However, the quality of these coals is difficult to say.

"Prime Minister, I suddenly found a problem. Most of the coal mines in China are lignite, which can be used for fire or power generation, but not for steelmaking.

At present, the domestic demand for steel is increasing day by day, and the demand for bituminous coal will also increase sharply in the future. In order to consider long-term development, it is now necessary for us to subdivide the types of industrial coal. "

(Note: There is only a small amount of coking coal in nature, which can be directly used in steelmaking, most of which are produced after processing of bituminous coal)

After thinking about it, Prime Minister Felix shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, it is not so! The domestic coal reserves are still quite rich, and at the current consumption rate, even if it lasts for five hundred years, it is enough.

Although the reserves of bituminous coal for steelmaking are not too high, it is sufficient. Even with a tenfold increase in steel demand, this coal would be enough for hundreds of years, and so long, it's too early to think about it.

The mandatory classification of industrial coal now involves many problems. In many areas where bituminous coal is produced, it is necessary to purchase lignite from the outside at high prices, which increases the cost of industrial production and is not conducive to economic development. "

This is a real problem, and if it is mandatory to use coal classification, it will have to face this economic problem.

In this era, the demand for coal resources is not too large, and the energy issue has not yet entered the public's attention.

Besides, don't look at the fact that steel is often linked together, in fact, "steel making" and "iron making" use coal differently.

Austria now produces more than six million steel per year. In fact, the first six million tons are iron, and only the last few hundred thousand tons are steel.

With steel production so low, the demand for bituminous coal is naturally low. Even if it is increased tenfold, the actual steel output is only a few million tons, and this steel also does not consume much coal.

Franz began to hesitate. The actual situation seemed to be a bit beyond expectations. Austria's bituminous coal reserves were not too high, but the industrial demand was even smaller.

After some thought, Franz decided to continue to promote the classification of industrial coal, but the method was changed, and it was not so radical.

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This is not taken for granted, but a decision made by Franz after careful consideration. He believes that the demand for steel in Austria will rise rapidly in the future, and perhaps this demand will exceed 10 million tons by the end of this century.

Then the demand for bituminous coal should also increase accordingly. If before that, the Rhineland region has been successfully obtained and the coal resources of the Ruhr region have been supplemented, it is natural that there is no shortage of coal.

But there are always accidents. If there is a change in the middle and Austria gets the coal mines in the Ruhr area in a short time, will the domestic bituminous coal production be able to meet the demand?

No one can answer this question. That being the case, Franz certainly has to plan ahead. Even if it is useless, it is better than finding that the supply of high-quality bituminous coal is insufficient when it is needed.

Franz barely persuaded Prime Minister Felix. Perhaps Felix now feels that this is mediocre, and he only accepts it out of the emperor's face.

None of this matters, Franz is all about results. As long as the goal is achieved, it doesn't matter if the process has some twists and turns.

Naturally, no one knows the content of the conversation between the two. Because of this little episode, the half-time of the meeting was extended.

Both the emperor and the prime minister were absent, so the meeting naturally could not go on. This is similar to an ordinary meeting. It must wait for important leaders to arrive before it can start.

The staff were very winking, and brought coffee, cakes, and the newspaper just issued today to everyone during the rest period.

Perhaps it was not good to keep so many people waiting. After about twenty minutes, the two walked into the conference room and the meeting continued.

At the end of the meeting, Prime Minister Felix said with a depressed expression:

"Everyone, don't forget that coal is needed for power generation. Although there is a lot of domestic coal production, we must also give priority to steelmaking.

In the future, the domestic demand for steel will usher in a surge. In the domestic coal production, more than 80% are lignite, and the bituminous coal production suitable for steelmaking is less than 20%, of which the high-quality coal is less than 5%.

It is now necessary to introduce an energy law to legally ensure the safety of coal for steelmaking. Of course, this cannot be forced by administrative means, but mainly depends on economic means to regulate market supply.

In general, the most suitable coal for steelmaking is to be used in steelmaking, so that the best quality steel can be made, and the remaining ordinary coals can flow into the market. "

It can be seen that Prime Minister Felix is ​​not so petition. Of course, this is limited to Franz, and in the eyes of different people, the answers they see are different. Many officials directly understand that this is "worry", because they have this expression because they are worried about this issue.

This claim is still far-fetched, but more acceptable than Franz's claim. Only the best quality coal can make the best quality steel, this is basic common sense.

The adjustment of economic means is very simple and rude. The Vienna government also has a similar successful experience, which is to increase taxes on high-quality coal.

If these high-quality coals flow into steel mills, then tax rebates will be given; if they flow into other fields, they will naturally not enjoy tax rebates.

The advantage of doing so is very obvious, that is, it increases the price of high-quality coal. The higher the price, the lower the market competitiveness. At least power plants will not buy these high-quality coals.

Stimulated by interests, capitalists will adjust the market by themselves. The only problem is regulation, they cannot be allowed to evade taxes.

It's all small issues by comparison. Having laws and not having laws are two concepts, and even if there is tax evasion secretly, it is only on a small scale.

Confidentiality can only be achieved with a small number of participants. If the scale is enlarged, it will be difficult to escape the supervision of the tax authorities.

Besides, even if the coal seller is willing to take the risk, the coal buyer may not be willing?

Even with tax evasion, the price of high-quality coal cannot be lower than that of ordinary coal. For many people, the difference is not big, but the risk is very large.

It doesn't matter if you can't catch it, once you get caught, the consequences will be serious. Being punished and going bankrupt is a common thing, and if you don't get it, you have to go to jail to reflect on yourself.

The proposal of Prime Minister Felix was not small, but it was barely passed at the meeting. Franz's small gestures almost made it clear that the emperor supported the proposal.

Throwing this question up at an economic meeting is actually to share the pressure. By convention, all high-level meetings in Austria are kept secret.

It is impossible for the officials participating in the meeting to announce to the outside world: I am against the xxxx law. It has become a law, and where an official is qualified to object, all he can do is comply.

The outside world does not know how big the opposition in the government is, which can make many people misjudgment. The grievances of those who have lost interests will be shouldered by everyone.

There are too many officials involved, but no one dares to be a demon. This policy has no impact on ordinary people, who have always been loyal users of cheap coal.

Except for the coal boss, almost no one will be affected. After all, what the government regulates is only the part of the bituminous coal with the best quality, and it will not affect the interests of others.

If there is a loss, it is also the biggest loss for Franz himself. Before he knew it, he had become Austria's largest coal supplier.

This is the advantage of buying and buying in the first place. Back then, the railway had not been completed, and the mines in the deep mountains and forests were worthless.

However, with the completion of the large railway plan, railways have appeared in every city in Austria, and the original traffic problem is no longer a problem.

The transportation problem is solved, and the minerals can be transported out

Go, this makes many mines buried in the mountains and forests also have economic value, and the mining tycoon is cultivated like this.

Franz doesn't care about this loss, after all, this policy still has beneficiaries - steel companies, the problem of left-handed and right-handed.

The losses from the coal mines were taken back from the iron and steel enterprises, and he also invested in heavy industry secretly.

This is the scary part of the consortium. It has a complete industrial chain and its anti-risk ability far exceeds that of ordinary enterprises.

Today, a huge royal consortium has lurked in Austria. If all the assets in it were exposed, it would be enough to make all the financial groups in the world feel ashamed.

Obviously this is impossible to expose, and the hole card is naturally hidden as deep as possible. Although the royal consortium is inextricably linked, in fact, it has already existed in several parts, or in other words, several consortiums exist.

Franz is only secretly remote control. These separate consortiums also have a large group of allies, forming a community of interests.

On the bright side, some consortiums are still opposed to each other, often fighting endlessly because of their interests. To say that they are a family, even if the evidence is in front of them, it is estimated that few people will believe it.

This is still the beginning. With the rise of emerging industries, these consortia will continue to grow like a snowball in the future, increasing Franz's control over the country.