Multiple Panels

[srhadden]

Suppose humans used ONLY solar energy in place of the energy provided by coal, gas, nuclear power, oil, etc. Suppose the solar energy were obtained using land-based solar panels. Based on the actual amount of energy humans derive from coal, gas, nuclear power, etc., How much of the earth's surface area would have to be covered with solar panels?

Comments

[wiccanmaiden]

Wait...that's it?

[srhadden]

That's it! Of course, it's a hell of a lot -- just not nearly as much as one might think.

[wiccanmaiden]

Yeah, I expected it to need a decent amount more than that.

Seems like they're targeting areas with a weak ozone layer

[obscure_barnaby]

That's surprisingly less than I imagined, though those tiny little dots are probably the size of cities, no?