Considering the "what ifs" in the wake of the largest oil spill disaster in history
Its probably not a proposition that you’ve considered, even as news that the BP oil spill is more than 3 times the size of the Exxon Valdez catastrophe is released this week. But what if BP spilled solar panels instead of oil?
One Block Off the Grid, which offers bulk discounts on solar panels, has a new blog at which they posited the question with stunning infographics. While you should visit the original post to see their beautiful work, consider these key points:
- The oil spill is large enough to blanket the entire state of Kansas
- If the area was covered with solar panels, the energy that could be generated would keep power on for 25 years for all of the United States – as well as Central and South America
- That same amount of oil could only power the same areas for less than a day
Considering solar power vs. oil in light of the BP oil spill
- BP will likely have to spend $32 billion to clean up the gulf ($32,000,000,000)
- If $32 billion was invested in solar panels instead, the entire Los Angeles County, population nearly 10 million, could be powered for 30 years
- Residents in Los Angeles County will pay an estimated $305 billion in electricity costs over the next 30 years, which could otherwise be saved with solar panel installation
A sunnier future with solar energy
The data in 1BOG’s post are based on figures from Census.gov, Dailyfinance.com, abc.com and calculations considering solar panel and electricity cost.
As noted in its post:
“The figures above come from some intense number-crunching sessions in our office. Feel free to agree, argue, contradict, or correct anything you see here — and we can provide more numbers as needed.”
I wonder where we would be with respect to energy policies if more people considered scenarios like these?
Let’s take the BP oil spill and use it to fuel more renewable energy research and incentives.
Tags: 1bog, bp oil spill, oil spill, renewable energy, solar energy, solar panels, solar power
August 7th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
I agree man we should take all of our open spaces in the desert and turn them into solar power grids.But than how would they control all of us.Big oil and other fossil fuels have turned man into a monster against his own kind all in the name of the almighty dollar. I still cant get over that oil spill.The gulf will never be the same for several generations.BP big wigs should be drowned in it in mho.