Quote:
Originally Posted by tuccillo
Not even close. People have run the numbers. It is approximately 15,000 square miles. That is a square 125 miles on a side. I have seen other estimates that put it at 10,000 square miles (a square 100 miles on a side). Storage and distribution are other issues but those are the numbers. It is an academic exercise, however, since our power will, in all probability, continue to be generated from multiple sources for the foreseeable future.
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/35097.pdf
Regarding the requirement for replacing all autos with EVs, those numbers have also been looked at. We would need approximately 1T kWhs of additional power (per year). This is approximately 25% more than the 4T kWhs we currently generate. Essentially, we have about 20 years or so (maybe more like 30 years, gas cars sold 10 years from now may be on the road for 20 years) to gradually ramp up power production by 25% or so. |
You don't have to rely on "people". All the info you need to do the calculation yourself is available online, and it's basic arithmetic. Be sure to cut whatever number you come up with by 2/3rds to account for darkness and poor weather. But a little common sense immediately debunks your "15,000 square mile" number. Between solar and wind (an equally inefficient technology), we passed that number years ago. Take a drive through West Texas and East California sometime, if you don't believe it. And yet, solar plus wind accounts for less than 4% of total energy generation in North America.