Before we explore how power could be harnessed in solar energy, let us first establish the energy needs of the world today. According to estimates for the year 2030, global consumption energy will reach 28,330 megawatts (MW). This is in excess of what was consumed in 2012, which stood at 23,000 MW. One estimate in documentary videos suggested that within the next four decades, mankind as a whole will require 200 planetary masses worth of energy, just to sustain its growth. There’s only one area where solar energy can be harnessed efficiently enough to be supplied to everyone, and that is the Sahara desert. The Sahara desert has over 12 hours of sunlight, has huge areas that are barren with no vegetation etc. So, what resources does the Sahara desert have? What’s holding the development bac

Question

In our present times, how do the amount of solar energy influxing the Earth’s surface and our current energy use levels compare?

Answer 1

The amount of solar energy that reaches the Earth from the Sun is about 173 quadrillion watts, which is almost a magnitude above what humanity requires for its energy needs now, roughly 10,000 times.

Comments

Whoa! Turning solar energy into chemical energy! That sounds so advanced!


Oh wait... Every plant on Earth does that.

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At my house, we have solar panels installed on the roof and they produce nearly double the energy we consume. Essentially all of the excess solar energy is sent back through the local energy supplier’s power grid. If a regular suburban household can provide its own power, the same can be done elsewhere on a larger scale.

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„scientists are working on changing solar into chemical energy”
plants: am i a joke to you

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Nothing was said about availability of lithium and other minerals, that are needed for building solar and lithium batteries. Unfortunately, these resources are also scarce.

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The voice .
I've been hearing this for years and I still love it...
It's peaceful

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"Deserts are far away"
-not here in Australia.

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I was wondering about it since my 8-9th class when I first studied Solar Cooker and Heater and Solar Cell... Now I got the answer.... Thank you very much ... For such brainstorming answer to the mindbending problem...