Comment by fooker
12 hours ago
> We currently make around 1 TW of photovoltaic cells per year, globally.
China made 1.8 TW of solar cells in 2025.
The raw materials required to make these are incredibly abundant, we make as much as we need.
12 hours ago
> We currently make around 1 TW of photovoltaic cells per year, globally.
China made 1.8 TW of solar cells in 2025.
The raw materials required to make these are incredibly abundant, we make as much as we need.
you realize the factor of 2 you introduce doesn't meaningfully change the order of magnitude that the previous poster is implying right?
You missed the point.
We can make ten or hundred times the number of solar cells we make right now, we just don't have a reason to. The technology is fairly ancient unless you want to compete on efficiency, and the raw materials abundant.
Tomorrow?
The limit isn't just about the current capacity or the maximum theoretical capacity, it's also about the maximum speed you can ramp.
4 replies →
you would need 200 times the number of solar cells. I don't think you appreciate the scale that 200x is, especially when China is already:
1. quite good at making solar cells
2. quite motivated to increase their energy production via solar
2 replies →