Ale, Coal, and the Unexpected Origins of the British Industrial Revolution
This article unravels a little-known origin story of the British Industrial Revolution: German fuel-saving technology. In the mid-16th century, Germany, facing wood shortages, invented the 'wood-saving art,' an indirect heating process that dramatically reduced fuel consumption. This technology, through a series of patents and technological transfers, eventually reached England. Initially adopted by breweries for its cost-effectiveness, it unexpectedly spurred the large-scale use of coal. London's breweries spearheaded this adoption, leading to a surge in coal demand, which in turn propelled coal mining and related industries, ultimately transforming Britain's energy landscape and laying the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution.