Science

DFW

(60,039 posts)

4. Al Gore calculated it out a few years ago

Tue May 12, 2015, 07:07 AM

May 2015

He said that a bank of solar panels ten miles square (i.e. 100 square miles) out in the desert somewhere could provide close to 100% of the electricity needs of the USA. I don't even know if there are enough of the rare earth materials out there to build such a bank of panels, but in theory it could be done.

If you've never been to the Netherlands, or just been on the highways there, you can't imagine the bicycle culture they have. They are THE means of getting around in that country. "Fietsen, (pronounced FEET-suh)" or going by bicycle, gives you the right of way just about anywhere where there's solid ground in NL.

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World's first solar road exceeds expectations. [View all] DetlefK May 2015 OP

The Koch brothers will fight it tooth and nail... Human101948 May 2015 #1

K&R! stonecutter357 May 2015 #2

This is what is also needed on our superhighways PADemD May 2015 #3

Not a great idea Treant May 2015 #10

Al Gore calculated it out a few years ago DFW May 2015 #4

You won't need rare-earth-metals. DetlefK May 2015 #5

Bikes are EVERYWHERE in the Netherlands. RoccoR5955 May 2015 #6

More of an Energy/Environment post. nt eppur_se_muova May 2015 #7

Read Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll", written 75 yr ago about solar powered highways. nt Bernardo de La Paz May 2015 #8

A couple years ago, I read something - I think it was here on DU... thecrow May 2015 #9