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It takes 2.5 million solar panels to generate 1GW of electricity assuming 400W per panel and direct sunlight. 2.5M times 18 sq ft per panel is about 1000 acres
by quickthrowman 2mo ago
It takes 2.5 million solar panels to generate 1GW of electricity assuming 400W per panel and direct sunlight. 2.5M times 18 sq ft per panel is about 1000 acres or ~1.55 sq mi.
That would work for a 1 GW data center, during the day, without clouds, during the summer.
- downrightmike 2mo agoThe US gov't owns at least 50% of every state in the west. Or they could just build in the middle of bum f*ck Texas and get fossil and renewables. Too bad Texas' grid is so piss poor
- AnthonyMouse 2mo agoThe Texas grid that already generates more TWh from renewables than any other state?
- 0cf8612b2e1e 2mo agoIs that supposed to be a lot? The US is some 3.8 million square miles. A decade old Reddit thread estimated there are 60 square miles of just McDonalds. That is, a McDonalds footprint of solar panels alone is 39GW. https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath/comments/2bq7l2/so_if_mcdonalds_with_all_their_real_estate_pooled/ https://www.reddit.com/r/theydidthemath/comments/2bq7l2/so_i...