info_outline
Solar’s surprising success in the Energy Olympics | Reatch Podcast | Episode 34
02/04/2025
Solar’s surprising success in the Energy Olympics | Reatch Podcast | Episode 34
Solar cells convert only a small fraction of sunlight into electricity — so how have they become the world’s fastest-growing energy technology? In this episode of Weiter wissen, we take you on a journey through solar energy’s physics, history, and its place in the modern world. Through our playful Energy Olympics, you’ll learn how solar compares to other energy technologies like coal and gasoline. From exploring Switzerland’s solar potential to revealing the secrets of efficiency, this episode sheds light on the power of solar and its role in shaping our future. Sources and calculations: International Energy Forum (IEF). The Remarkable Rise of Solar Power. Retrieved from . National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Module Efficiency. Retrieved from . American Chemical Society. ACS Energy Letters: Advances in Solar Cell Efficiency. Retrieved from . HAL Archives. Document: Solar Cell Efficiency Advances. Retrieved from . Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Explained: Carnot Efficiency. Retrieved from . International Energy Agency (IEA). Technology Roadmap: High-Efficiency, Low-Emissions Coal-Fired Power Generation. Retrieved from . Vehq. How Hot Does a Combustion Chamber Get in a Vehicle?. Retrieved from . U.S. Department of Energy. Coal Factsheet. Retrieved from . Sustainability by Numbers. Inefficiency of Internal Combustion Engines. Retrieved from . Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE). Geoinformation: Solar Energy. Retrieved from . Swiss Federal Chancellery. Media Release: Renewable Energy in Switzerland. Retrieved from . Engineering Toolbox. Higher Calorific Values of Fuels. Retrieved from . Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE). Photovoltaics Report. Retrieved from . Coal and gasoline efficiencies ηCarnot=1−TcoldThot=1−298873≈65.8% Solar capacity needed to power Switzerland Daily electricity consumption: 158,904,110 kWh/dayPeak sun hours: 4 hours/dayRequired solar capacity=4 hours 158,904,110 kWh=39,726 MW Land area needed to power Switzerland with solar energy Annual electricity consumption of Switzerland: 58 TWh (58,000 GWh)Solar panel efficiency: 25%Average solar irradiation: 1,100 kWh/m²/yearRequired land area=1,100 kWh/m²/year×0.2558,000 GWh=211 km² This represents less than 1% of Switzerland's total land area of 41,290 km². Materials and energy for solar installation Number of panels=0.3 kW/panel; 39,726,000 kW=132,420,000 panelsWeight of panels=132,420,000 panels×20 kg/panel=2,648,400,000 kgWeight of mounting structures=132,420,000 panels×5 kg/panel=662,100,000 kgWeight of cables and components=132,420,000 panels×1 kg/panel=132,420,000 kgWeight of concrete=132,420,000 panels×50 kg/panel=6,621,000,000 kgTotal materials=2,648,400,000+662,100,000+132,420,000+6,621,000,000=10,064,920,000 kg=10,064,920 tonnes total Energy from coal Energy content of coal: 24 MJ/kgEnergy from coal=10,064,920 tonnes×1,000 kg/tonne×24 MJ/kg=241,558,080,000 MJDays powered=241,558,080,000 MJ 572,054,795 MJ/day≈422 daysCoal equivalent=316,633,730,400 MJ 24 MJ/kg=13,192,238,767 kg=13,192,239 tonnesDays powered=316,633,730,400 MJ 572,054,795 MJ/day≈554 days Involved people: 📝 Script: Jose L. Ocana-Pujol 🎙 Speaker: Jose L. Ocana-Pujol ☑️ Review: Jose L. Ocana-Pujol, Dominik Scherrer Learn more about Reatch: 📱 💻 📸 🎞
/episode/index/show/reatch/id/35151050
