• Question: Is it possible to collect enough sunshine alone to fuel the future?

    Asked by on 11 Jan 2017. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Chris Eames

      Chris Eames answered on 11 Jan 2017:


      Hi thanks for the question

      Yes, it is possible. We just need enough solar panels. Scientists estimate that we need about 200’000 square miles of solar panels – about the same land area as the United Kingdom.

      Next we have to decide where to put them. If we put them in the sahara desert which gets lots of sunlight then we should be good to go. But then if it was nightime in the sahara we would be getting no power. So we could put 1/3 in the sahara, 1/3 in the gobi desert in china and 1/3 in the western desert in the usa.

      In reality people have lots of little solar panels everywhere (on roofs and in small power stations) so the power can be delivered locally to where it is needed.

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