| A Solar Powered Earth |
| Written by Hank Green | ||
| Friday, 06 April 2007 | ||
So how much land would be necessary to power the entire world with solar power...this much. A clever guy named Matthias Loster has put together a map of the required surface area of the earth to produce the 18 terrawatts per year that our world currently consumes. From all the way out here, it looks like an amazingly small amount of space, and that's assuming just 8% efficiency. Of course, good luck getting the trillions of dollars necessary to build such facilities... Nevertheless a fascinating way of seeing our predicament. Via: TreeHugger
Comments
(6)
1rabidmonkey
written by tadhg , April 06, 2007
of course, there's an intrinsic problem with a permanent solar facility in a desert: sand dunes will cover it
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written by rob , April 06, 2007
Transmission losses would be very high, for example the nearest solar source to Europe, is Africa. Those cables will be singing.
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written by monotonehell , April 07, 2007
The map is to show the total area required over the entire continent. Not that ONE HUGE facility should be plonked in those places.
There was a similar study done by Australia's CSIRO that said something similar for Australia. But no one in government takes "free" energy seriously as there's no commodity to mine and export.
Wrong solution..
written by fdsf , April 07, 2007
A better solution is to have the devices we use require LESS power. Look at computers for a start. Bad power profiles and consume about 600 watts now!
Throwing more power at it wont solve the core problem. USE LESS.
why fight . . .
written by dy , April 10, 2007
of course we need to use less, but we also need to come up with alternate sources for the power we do use. I feel like one of the problems we have in achieving our green goals, is that no one can agree on what the absolute best way to do it is. . . . so instead of taking any action forward we debate ourselves to death.
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written by Tom Lee , April 11, 2007
It would have been nice if Loster’s analysis was a bit more extensive, but Paul’s response also leaves a bit to the imagination. Occam’s razor would help the surface wattage rating, and when I multiply even 28 watts by the number of square meters in a square mile, I get 72.5 million. I am not a scientist, however, and claim no expertise in such matters.
No one is suggesting that the photovoltaics be centralized. The map is an illustration, and if it is flawed, the matter should be taken up with the author. Scientists do differ on matters such as this, but such issues are usually resolved empirically. I am glad to see attention focused on our energy use and what to do about it. | ||
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