Scientists Calculate How Many Solar Panels Could Power Earth
As the years go on and resources dwindle, energy consumption is going to become a bigger and bigger deal — whether people like it or not. Fortunately, there are alternatives available; it’s only a matter of developing them and spreading their usage. One well-known alternative is solar energy, even if it hasn’t gotten the most traction — but if the current theory is to be believed, that’s all it takes to keep the world energized.
Based on the output by solar panels today — which operate at twenty percent efficiency — then projections by the Land Art Generator Initiative posits that in order to power every last inch of the world, it would take a panel-covered area the size of Spain. That’s a fair bit of space, but in relative terms it’s actually a steal. For starters, there’s no reason why all of the requisite panels would have to be confined to a single area; they could be spread across the world — on rooftops, in deserts, and more.
The Initiative is quick to point out some helpful comparisons. The total area of the proposed solar farm is still less than twice the size of China’s current farmland, and it’s entirely possible to have the project done in three years’ time if they build at the same rate as we’re destroying forests each year. Evidently, the means are all there; it’s only a matter of applying what’s available.
