World Solar Energy Network... Could this work?

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Solar power has exploded over the past 2 decades, and prices for solar panels have absolutely plummeted. But as great as solar is, it has a problem, they're unless at night. But it's always daytime somewhere, and we already have roads and fiber optic lines that span continents, so what if we built a worldwide power grid and solar network? Would it even be possible, what would it cost, and would it be worth it? I was so curious about this, that I decided to make a video, so let's dive in. INSANE Plan Fixes Energy Crisis With a Worldwide Solar Network! Is It Possible To Build a World-Wide Solar Network?

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Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:20 The Premise
05:51 Locations
07:28 The Solar Panels
09:56 Thermal Solar?
10:39 Power Transmission
12:13 DC vs AC
13:14 Wire Material
14:55 Other Challenges
16:52 Conclusions

what we'll cover
two bit da vinci,solar panels,renewable energy,insane curiosity,This INSANE Plan Can Power the World On Solar 24 Hours a Day!,building a world wide solar network,world wide solar grid,world power grid,energy,solar panel,energy transmission,high voltage dc generator,high voltage dc dc converter,world largest solar power plant,world wide solar network,world wide solar farm,how many solar panels would power the world,powering the world on solar, INSANE Plan Fixes Energy Crisis With a Worldwide Solar Network! , This Network Can Make Limitless FREE Energy Without Batteries!

[mintakan]

I think going "de-centralized" is the way to go. You start out with "micro-grids". It allows you to integrate various resources (kind of like an OS). Batteries are a critical foundation for doing this integration (frequency regulation, time shifting). The more renewables (wind and solar) you have, the less fossil fuel you'll need. It lessens the supply chain dependency.

You need intelligent demand-response, for managing one's loads, esp. with an eye towards critical loads. You have graceful failover, on the demand side. Then once you have the basics established, you might consider transmission lines to other micro-grids to add some power supplementation. But it would be secondary. (The closest analogy we have, is the internet. It was initially described as a "network of networks".)

[tonyb]

Mark Jacobsen of Stanford University has studied this at length, modelling all parts of the world, using all energy sources, and discovering the optimum mix for minimum cost. He proposes a mix of (mainly) wind, solar, hydro, various types of storage (typically only four hours are needed) and HVDC connections. Average energy costs are about half those of today. A programme on his work would be a great addition to your channel….😊

[strictnonconformist]

There are other things missed that show this would be nuts, and I’ll cover a small bit of those: the reasons high tension wires are on the giant towers (which aren’t cheap to build) include the fact of arcing potential, which varies based on humidity, etc. and note the high tension power lines aren’t insulated. China’s power transmission is already over a million volts, but you’re talking 1000 times that: towers alone wouldn’t be feasible due to arcing, and you can’t reasonably tunnel everywhere for geological reasons. It’d also be fun to see what’s required to convert back to AC and stepping it back down to more feasible grid voltages.

[jpable]

Your cost figures are similar to what I calculated a couple years ago. But when I posted them online people thought I was nuts. Good to see someone else has a realistic view of solar power.

[brianwaines]

At the beginning of the video, you said total solar hitting earth was 173000 Tera watts but total demand was 19 Tera watts. But at minute 8, when you started your math, you used the 173000 number, which makes me think all your math is off by a factor of 10, 000

[ericbuhrendorf]

Your math seems wrong or confusing.
At 1:00 you said the earth receives 170, 000 TWh from the sun and our global consumption is 19TWh, but then at 8:14 you run your calculations as if our consumption is 170, 000 TWh not 19. Can you clarify?

[jeffharmed]

Brilliant assessment. Far more detailed than I was expecting. We need more of these. Don’t stop

[hippie-io]

I think your thought experiment is an important exercise, in that it helps us to determine engineering "limits". At a total cost of $150 trillion: That would be approx $18, 750 for each inhabitant of the planet. I built my solar system for $2, 300. It provides 1/3 of my energy needs. I'm working on the other 67%. The key was using used solar panels. Currently, solar farms have levelized cost of energy (LCOE) so low that they can have a relatively short return on investment (ROI). The solar farm can replace their solar panels with the "latest and greatest" and sell the used panels to you and me. Even if the panels were at 80%, they still produce lots of power at a great price, and keep that stuff out of the landfill.

[danchadwick]

Can we? Yes! And it's easier than we believe!
With no conversion necessary. Mirrors and sand batteries. The key is concentrated sunlight comes to a point, then diverges again. Just to the front of or behind the focal point, the beam must be made straight again. This is accomplished by a number of ways, a concave lens before, a convex lens after, or mirrors of reverse nature. There's even a spiral mirror to reflect the beam through it, adjusting the beam as it passes. Take note of this last one. Polar Night Energy made a commercial version of the sand battery they heat with resistance heating. This tech can be adapted to distribute energy to homes near and far within direct line of sight and with reflectors to some not directly visible. Sand coated with graphene for even distribution within the storage tank. The spiral mirrors take IR from the collection tank and condition the beam into a straight ray for distribution. At the destination, heat is used to condition the home living space, and a small portion is converted for electrical appliances and gadgets. Arrangements for the whole subdivision to reflect the rooftop sunlight to a central tower, and a small portion returned for continuity over night, and between seasons. Even those shadow bound are enlightened this way.
Visible light can be thus directed as well and separated from IR, allowing heating and lighting separately.

[James_R_]

By 30 seconds in I was already thinking about the Nordstream pipeline. As humans we will never agree enough to be so advanced to share. Maybe in a another few hundred years if we don't blow each other up first...

[robincross]

Many extremely good points. As a retired electronics engineer, I am impressed that you learned so much about the electric distribution systems to get to the final conclusion. I think that more locations of solar fields would work out better. The more locations of the fields the more even the distribution of solar generation.

[manufaus]

Great video. We're not there yet with a worldwide solar grid, however, T. Boone Pickens conducted a study in the 2010s (?) that if a windmill farm was built in North or South Dakota, it would be sufficient to power the entire US. I believe he stated that it would take approximately 5-10 years to build the infrastructure to power the entire country. In the meantime, Pickens advocated the use of natural gas to power critical systems until the shift from fossil fuels to wind power was completed The very next day, gas prices dropped. I'm curious why the US Government and Green Deal advocates haven't picked up where Pickens left off.

[tomfarrow]

Why are you using 179000 Tera watts of power as your baseline, as you said the entire usage is only 19 terawatts ?

[charlesbrightman]

'Moon Battery'
a. Electrons try to get away from each other and collect on the surface of objects. In this case, on the surface of the Moon.
b. Put a deep vertical device to electrically connect the electrical charges on the surface of the Moon with the lower inner parts of the Moon that would be less electrically charged.
c. Electrical potential difference being generated, electrical potential difference being a battery.
(Large static electrical charges on the surface of the Moon could be utilized as a source of energy, even on the dark side of the Moon facing away from the Sun).
"LET THERE BE LIGHT EVEN IN THE DARKNESS", just have to plug into the universal energy source.

[terrya]

Lets start with a trade deal in the USA. California sends power to the east coast and the east coast sends California water in the same trench ! Elon says 100 square miles of solar panels should do it.

[yohancerodriguez]

I think I like the idea of the credits at the beginning. You always mention the team, but this gives a better idea of the size and scope. Good job👍

[stevesedio]

Orbiting mirrors to reflect sunlight to ground based solar farms reduces the number of solar panels, and the ground occupied, by at least 4. It also reduces the length of the global extension cord.

[madcow]

This kind of reminds me of Watchmen. "Why free energy? Well, 'free' is just another word for 'socialist'" "Conquest not of men, but of the evils that beset them. Fossil Fuels. Oil. Nuclear Power." This kind of system would save the planet, force international cooperation, and make energy cheaper for a more productive society.

[JABBO]

What if all the roads were covered with a roof made of solar panels. No more snow on the road. Not so many solar farms. Parking lots, all interstate roads. No driving in rain or snow.
Water run off could be stored & cleaned.

[itsROMPERS...]

Why not just use geothermal instead?
Its always hot 24/7 regardless of weather under every spot on the earth, and they have advanced plasma tech so they can dig deeper than ever before.
Plus maintaining so many pv panels is a nightmare.
Screw solar!