4 ms·
I think your calculation is a little pessimistic: even if we include all sorts of things that today aren't powered from electrical generators, 200,000TWh is ple
by solresol 8y ago
I think your calculation is a little pessimistic: even if we include all sorts of things that today aren't powered from electrical generators, 200,000TWh is plenty to power the whole world for a year. Assuming 8 hours of sunlight per day of 200 watts per square metre (not an unreasonable figure), that's "only" an area of ~400 square kilometres (assuming I haven't dropped a zero somewhere).
That would be difficult but not impossible to fit in Britain.
This of course ignores problems of storage, inconstancy of supply and so on, but there's no problem with total capacity that means we cannot maintain a standard of living way above what we experience today.
- londons_explore 8y agoRemember to include non-electrical energy use too. Many kWh of oil, coal, and natural gas are used in the UK, for industry, transport and building heating.
- philwelch 8y agoTo make matters worse, also keep in mind the energy cost of closed-loop synthesis of jet fuel from atmospheric and oceanic sources. (Yes, you can turn CO2 and H20 back into hydrocarbons with solar power, but it's considerably more expensive than just drilling the hydrocarbons out of the Earth's crust.)
- philwelch 8y agoAdmittedly dated, but this is my primary source: https://www.withouthotair.com/ https://www.withouthotair.com/ The summary was essentially that, even theoretically, Britain is not capable of energy self-sufficiency for their current standard of living based on renewable power sources in Britain itself. Though it was close enough that the necessary reductions in consumption are attainable.