Problem: The total power used by humans worldwide is approximately 15 TW (terawatts). Sunlight striking Earth provides 1.336 kW per square meter (assuming no clouds). The surface area of Earth is approximately 197,000,000 square miles.What percentage of the Earths surface would we need to cover with solar energy collectors to power the planet for use by all humans? Assume that the solar energy collectors can only convert 10 % of the available sunlight into useful power.
FREE Expert Solution
FREE Expert Solution
We’re being asked to convert 0.02500 ft3 into cm3.
To do so, we need the following conversion factors:
1 TW = 109 kW
1 miles = 1.609 km
Problem Details
The total power used by humans worldwide is approximately 15 TW (terawatts). Sunlight striking Earth provides 1.336 kW per square meter (assuming no clouds). The surface area of Earth is approximately 197,000,000 square miles.
What percentage of the Earths surface would we need to cover with solar energy collectors to power the planet for use by all humans? Assume that the solar energy collectors can only convert 10 % of the available sunlight into useful power.
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