You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine

Posted by Emma Lehmberg on Thursday, April 15, 2010

So the sun's rays have been powering everything on earth, since, well, the beginning of time. But did you know that, if this power was harnessed by solar panels in southeastern Ontario, it has the ability to power an entire country?

Queen's University's Applied Sustainability Research Group has discovered that, if properly placed, solar panels can produce about 90 gigawatts of energy - and it takes 100 gigawatts to power the entirety of the United States on nuclear power.

Think about that for a few minutes.

Now think about this: in order for this amount of power to be produced, solar farms would have to be set up. This requires expansive amounts of land. And it may also mean clearing forest that provides habitat for many animals and plants, essentially creating a displaced wildlife population.

So what's better: sustainable power for us, or a home for already threatened wildlife populations? As with so many things, there is no easy answer.

You can read more about the group's research here.