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r2k-in-the-vortex t1_j48u6k4 wrote

3000GW is entire global electricity production and you want to produce as much extra solar capacity every year? I think that would require major new demand, some sort of flexible way to convert electricity to money that is fine running only when sun is out.

Given such a demand is developed though, the sky is the limit really, there is no practical limit of "we have no more space for solar panels". But you do have the practical limit that you can't sell electricity from more panels if all demand is already met.

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manual_tranny OP t1_j4brojr wrote

Solar panels do not produce nameplate capacity because of clouds, rain, snow, and nighttime. So, we have to build significantly more 'capacity' (GW) in order to produce the amount of energy we actually consume over time (GWh). Naturally, this is why energy storage is so important.

Your math is wrong in other ways too, because you are assuming that in the future we will be consuming the same amount of electricity as we are consuming today. That's pretty silly, since today we are only beginning to electrify buildings, manufacturing, and transportation. In order to do that, we will need additions of 3,000 GW of capacity each year.

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