wewbull , (edited )

Approx 250 acres to a square km, so let's call this 100,000 sq km of land. That's about a fifth of what would be needed to power the world.

https://feddit.uk/pictrs/image/ed14a480-ec4c-457f-ad14-0bd8191bcf1c.jpeg

So, is the US now planning on powering Canada and South America too, or is something funny going on?

jelloeater85 ,
@jelloeater85@lemmy.world avatar

Need to power that ion cannon... Er space cargo accelerator...

Rutty ,
@Rutty@sh.itjust.works avatar

EVs

Also, just cause they allot the land doesn’t mean they will build it. Now excuse me, while go read the article.

vinylshrapnel ,

For reference, that is an area larger than South Carolina and nearly as large as Maine.

Brkdncr ,

How many acres of parking lots does the federal government own that could accomplish this without disturbing the environment?

vinylshrapnel ,

This is way bigger than you think it is.

Brkdncr ,

It’s just frustrating when people talk about solar they seem to be ok with wrecking the environment. It would be relatively easy to retrofit parking lots.

People also talk about turning roads and sidewalks into solar. It’s like parking is some sort of untouchable structure that we can’t demand be part of the solution.

Hugin ,

It's much more expensive and slower to put a solar roof on a parking lot then it is to drop it in a field.

andrew ,
@andrew@lemmy.stuart.fun avatar

I had to use the environment to destroy the environment. It nearly killed me.

dejected_warp_core ,

Good point. I was gonna say, acres upon acres of solar farms would be equivalent to paving the land they're on. And unlike the African Sahara, we don't have much in the way of actual wasteland with zero life around here.

Someone further down the comment chain suggested parking lots. Rooftops would be a better move too - just need a tax incentive and we're off to the races.

TropicalDingdong ,

We don't really need new area for solar. We've got plenty, and I mean plenty, of developed hard surfaces panels can be put on top of.

Also, they already usually have infrastructural connection to power, so thats a bonus.

kool_newt ,

Solar is great, but decentralization is the way. Not this centralized, metered, power centralizing "green energy".

Montagge ,
@Montagge@kbin.social avatar

Which will eventually be sold to private entities and public land will continue to disappear. Just like all of the public land Weyerhauser has gobbled up and shut off access. Oh I'm sorry you could pay $350 for a yearly pass that they only put a handful of out.

toiletobserver ,
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