• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast
  • Archives

Atomic Insights

Atomic energy technology, politics, and perceptions from a nuclear energy insider who served as a US nuclear submarine engineer officer

Imagining the scale of energy storage needed for a solar US

May 1, 2008 By Rod Adams

It is always frustrating to try to have a conversation with someone who insists that wind and solar energy is all we really need. The creative people on What is Nuclear? have a published an article titled What kind of scale are we dealing with? that includes a dramatic illustration that might be useful to you someday. (Aside: You need to know that What is Nuclear? is an effort led by engineers, not English majors. I will award an unspecified prize to the person who adds a comment indicating why I provided this extra comment. End aside).

I encourage you to go to the article and review the computations, but the final answer is that storing enough electricity to allow the US to make it through the night if all of our power came from solar panels would require the equivalent of lifting about 22,000 aircraft carriers to a height equal to that of the world’s tallest building. Think about that for a while.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About Rod Adams

Rod Adams is an atomic energy expert with small nuclear plant operating and design experience, now serving as a Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital, an emerging climate-focused fund. Rod, a former submarine Engineer Officer and founder of Adams Atomic Engines, Inc., one of the earliest advanced nuclear ventures, has engaged in technical, strategic, political, historic and financial discussion and analysis of the nuclear industry, its technology and policies for several decades. He is the founder of Atomic Insights and host and producer of The Atomic Show Podcast.

Please click here to subscribe to the Atomic Show RSS feed.

Primary Sidebar

Categories

Join Rod’s pronuclear network

Join Rod's pronuclear network by completing this form. Let us know what your specific interests are.

Recent Comments

  • Gordon Mcdowell on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • Greg White on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • Gerrit Bruhaug on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • Eino on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked
  • David on Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked

Follow Atomic Insights

The Atomic Show

Atomic Insights

Recent Posts

Atomic Show #297 – Krusty – The Kilopower reactor that worked

Nuclear energy growth prospects and secure uranium supplies

Nucleation Capital’s Earth Day in Atherton

Atomic Show #296 – Julia Pyke, Director of Finance Sizewell C

Solar’s dirty secrets: How solar power hurts people and the planet

  • Home
  • About Atomic Insights
  • Atomic Show
  • Contact
  • Links

Search Atomic Insights

Archives

Copyright © 2022 · Atomic Insights

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy