Solar power is a common topic of discussion these days, and particularly with a nod to the future of power creation and consumption. How much solar power would it take to power an entire city? You may not believe it at first, but this is a question city planners and government officials in many countries, including the USA, have already begun to consider for the next few decades. Scroll down to the 3rd Heading to find the answers!
At Intermountain Wind & Solar, we're proud to serve as one of the top solar energy companies in Salt Lake City, Utah and Boise, Idaho, offering unmatched residential and commercial solar power solutions. Here are some basics on how solar power needs are determined for a given area, the kinds of solar power capacity that would be required to power an entire city without any support from the electrical grid, and when we may begin to see these questions turn into realities.
When it comes to determining solar power needs for an area, there are several factors that must be taken into consideration. These can include:
Without any support from the electrical grid, powering an entire city solely with solar energy would require a significant amount of solar power capacity. The exact amount would depend on factors like climate and population, but it could range from hundreds of megawatts to multiple gigawatts.
For example, in 2018, Los Angeles set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050 and generate all its electricity from renewable sources by 2045. To achieve this, the city would need approximately 9-10 gigawatts of solar power capacity – enough to meet the energy needs of over 1.5 million households.
While exact figures here would depend on the types of panels and solar technology used, a general estimate for solar panel capacity is around 300-400 watts per panel. Let's use 350 watts as an average, and when we factor this in we want to only try to predict electricity use, not energy use which would include other things like natural gas and fuel. If we do that, it would still take tens of millions to hundreds of millions of solar panels to power a city depending on the size. While none of these should be used as scientific fact, we did try our best to get close estimates. Let's go through a few for fun!
1. Los Angeles, California:
Answer: 52.3 million panels needed.
This factors in that the city of Los Angeles uses 75.23 Gigawatt hours of energy per day. It's important to note that this is just for the city and not the Los Angeles County area that many refer to when they say LA. As of the most recent data, Los Angeles has approximately 649.9 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity within the city limits. This translates to about 1.24 million 350-watt solar panels. In comparison, to meet the city's daily electricity consumption (not the total energy consumption which would include things like natural gas and fuel) of 75.23 GWh per day, approximately 52.3 million 350-watt panels would be needed. This means Los Angeles has installed about 2.4% of the solar panels required to fully power the city with solar energy.
While this is a small fraction of the total need, it's important to note that Los Angeles is a national leader in solar energy installations. The city has made significant progress toward its renewable energy goals, and continued investments in solar infrastructure can help bridge the gap toward a fully sustainable energy future. (These numbers for each city include full city energy consumption, not just residential.)
2. New York City, New York:
Answer: 98.7 million panels needed.
This factors in that the city of New York uses 142 Gigawatt hours of energy per day, that's much higher than LA due to higher density and more commercial buildings and transit use. As of Spring 2024, New York City has approximately 535 megawatts (MW) of installed solar capacity, which translates to around 1.53 million 350-watt solar panels. To meet the city’s daily electricity consumption of 142 GWh, approximately 98.7 million 350-watt panels would be needed. This means New York City has installed about 0.38% of the solar panels required to fully power the city’s electricity needs with solar energy.
3. Salt Lake City, Utah:
Answer: 4.2 million panels needed.
Since we are based out of Utah, we wanted to add Salt Lake City as a fun one for our community! This factors in that Salt Lake City uses 6 Gigawatt hours of energy per day which is far less than New York and LA. We just want to note that this is just based on the actual city and not the larger surrounding metropolitan area which includes many more people that are spread out across the Wasatch Front.
4. Boise, Idaho:
Answer: 6.4 million panels needed.
This factors in that Boise uses 9.2 Gigawatt hours of energy per day which is a bit higher than Salt Lake City, which may seem odd. But we are only factoring in each city, not the surrounding metropolitan areas. And the actual city of Boise is larger in population than the specific area for Salt Lake City.
5. Dallas, Texas:
Answer: 254.9 million panels needed.
Wow! Isn't that surprising?! Bet you didn't see that coming! This factors in that Dallas uses 366 Gigawatt hours of energy per day which is higher than even New York! Dallas requires more solar panels than New York City because it has significantly higher total energy consumption, despite having a smaller population. We can see that Dallas is more than double New York City's 142 GWh, largely due to its industrial base, hotter climate, and higher energy usage per capita. The city's energy-intensive industries and the reliance on electricity for cooling during hot summers contribute to higher overall demand. In contrast, New York City's energy consumption is more balanced, with a greater focus on services and finance, which tend to use less electricity compared to Dallas' manufacturing and industrial sectors. Thus, Dallas' overall electricity demand necessitates a much larger number of solar panels to meet its energy needs.
6. Phoenix, Arizona:
Answer: 313.6 million panels needed.
Wow! Another surprise! Phoenix’s total energy use is slightly higher than Dallas, despite the lower population. The heat in Phoenix drives higher electricity consumption due to air conditioning, while Dallas has more industrial energy use.
7. Chicago, Illinois:
Answer: 453 million panels needed.
The numbers just keep getting bigger it seems, don't they? Chicago has a significant energy demand, driven by its large population and industrial infrastructure.
8. Evanston, Wyoming:
Answer: 2.57 million panels needed.
As another area that we serve we wanted to give a shout out to Evanston that uses the least energy on this list. As a smaller city in Western Wyoming, Evanston’s energy needs are tiny compared to any of the larger cities.
Summary:
The total number of solar panels needed to power all the cities on the list is 1.19 billion panels!
Now, just imagine how many more cities across the United States and around the world would need solar panels to power them. With every city, from small towns to huge metropolises, there are millions of possibilities to use clean, renewable energy. The good news is that the technology is improving, and every new panel installed helps us get closer to a cleaner, greener planet. Sure, it sounds like a lot of panels, but if we keep pushing forward, who knows? Maybe one day, all these panels will light up the world in a way that’s sustainable for everyone! It's exciting to think about how much power we can harness from the sun to fuel our future!
It just goes to show, the bigger the city and the hotter the climate, the more solar panels you’ll need to keep everything running smoothly! In fact, many cities are already taking steps towards implementing large-scale solar power systems. Cities around the US, UK and Australia are investing in solar farms and rooftop solar panels to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and traditional grid systems.
While the idea of an entire city being powered solely by solar energy may seem far-fetched, it's actually not as distant a reality as many may think. With advancements in technology and increasing support for renewable energy sources, we can expect to see more cities becoming partially or completely powered by solar energy in the near future.
One major factor that's fueling this growth is battery storage technology. With the ability to store excess solar energy for later use, cities can become less reliant on the traditional electrical grid and more self-sufficient with their own renewable energy sources.
The potential for solar power to completely transform the way we generate and consume electricity is immense. While it may take some time for an entire city to be powered solely by solar energy, many cities are already taking steps towards this goal and we can expect to see more following suit in the coming years.
As a leading provider of residential and commercial solar solutions, Intermountain Wind & Solar is proud to be a part of this movement towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. Our team is dedicated to helping cities, businesses and homeowners make the switch to solar energy and reduce their carbon footprint. Contact us today to learn more about how solar power can benefit your community and help create a brighter tomorrow, whether you're in SLC, Utah or Boise, Idaho. We're here to take your call! Or go read more and fill out a form to get a custom quote on our home page!
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