How many solar panels do we need to power the US?
What is the most efficient solar panel, how many would we need to power the United States, and how much land would it take?
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50 billion panels
1 million acres
nukes are better.
MIKE
I know that the US uses 500 Gigawatts (giga is 10 ^9). I think a solar panel 1 meter square might generate at most 100W. So you would need 500E9/100 = 5 trillion of these.
5 trillion square meters is 70 kilometers on a side.
Dont forget about night and clouds!
Annual power consumption in the US is approximately 1.2*10^15 Watt-hours. The average solar panel can generate 80W continuously. We can break up the calculation into parts:
1.2*10^15 Watt-hours per year
9125 hours per year
1.31*10^11 continuous watts
80W per panel
1643835616 panels
1000 sq. inches average solar panel area
650 million square miles (!!!)
To give you a better idea, the total surfacre area of the United States of America is 3 million square miles. The surface of the earth is 196 million square miles. Not even 3 planets full of solar panels would be enough. Maybe it is easier for people to start using electricity more responsibly?
well the main problem is that the the solar panels are ineffecent due to their 5 lays(that is what i hunrd they are useing in Gemrnay). Also if i remember right we are at a 20% conversion rate on solor panels.
their is 2 problems with solar panels.
the weather they drom in effeceny everytime the a cloud get in the way of the sun.
what are u doing to do when it gets dusk time?
tho neucler power is a good idea. it is only good for the Base load not for the peek power times… IE; Quiting time when everyone gets home and flips on the AC.
The best thing really would be Geothormal, nucluer, wind and some solor. but that is for the west out word.. the south is still SOL. So they would need bio fules, better coal plants and fuel cells. (witch is where i am going to start working on here soon )