American inventor and entrepreneur Peter Diamandis is well-known for his contributions to healthcare and space technology, among other fields. He frequently discusses the enormous potential of renewable energy sources, particularly solar power. He claims that the amount of solar energy that our planet receives each day is astounding and far greater than what people actually use.
Think of the Earth as a huge, sun-filled bathtub. With 5,000 times the amount of solar energy that humanity uses in a year, this bathtub is so full that it overflows. We don't currently have the technology to capture and transform the majority of this sunlight into usable forms of energy, though, much like you might have water in your bathtub but can't drink it directly because it hasn't been purified or treated.
Diamandis argues that we have a lot of potential waiting for us. When it comes to harnessing solar energy, we have only just begun. The difficulty is in creating more effective methods for capturing, storing, and making effective use of this plentiful resource. Similar to how improving water purification systems could make your bathtub full of sunlight safe to drink, technological advancements may eventually enable us to transform all that wasted energy into something beneficial for everybody.
Diamandis inspires people to consider new ideas and advancements in renewable energy by showcasing the enormous amount of unrealized solar power. Although his message is upbeat, it also highlights the amount of work that remains.