"If you simply covered every road in the world with mid range solar panels you meet the worlds current energy needs" Ponder the immense amount of effort, cost,

"If you simply covered every road in the world with mid range solar panels you meet the worlds current energy needs" Ponder the immense amount of effort, cost, and trouble it took to build every road in the world. Even the massive Interstate Highway system only constitutes a fraction of US roads. Now, instead of laying down inert asphalt, blacktop, concrete, or gravel, what you suggest as an encouraging example involves laying down a much more complicated and expensive infrastructure. There's no "simply" here, despite the breezy phrasing. (Which is of a piece of all grandiose plans that require only "political will" and umpteen trillions of dollars.)