The World Energy Scene – Some Basic Math

I believe everyone should have a decent level of familiarity with this Wikipedia listing on the world energy scene, which provides a bit of top-level math.  As a civilization, we consume energy at the rate of 15 terawatts (15,000,000,000,000)– an estimated 80% – 90% of which comes from fossil fuels.  Thus, when we talk about a gigawatt solution — certainly nothing to sneeze at — we’re talking about something that provides 1/15,000th of the world’s energy.

Or, as I was explaining to my daughter just now, the total energy being consumed in the world is about 150 billion times the lighting in my office (about 100 watts).  She was utterly fascinated.  Yeah right — a bit of holiday humor for you there.