That map comes from ILSR’s Energy Self-Reliant States report, published in 2010. You’re welcome to put it up on Solargardens.org, with attribution. Say hello to Joy for me.

Sincerely,
John

This claim seems wrong. The facts presented are:
– So Germany, with ~82 million people have installed 10GWp over two years, or 5GWp per year. That is 0.06GW / million people.
– The USA has ~300 million people. 0.06GW / million people = 18GWp / per annum

So that implies:
– The installed generation capacity of the USA is ~ 1,000GWp. So at 18GW / annum, it would take ~55 years to get to 1,000GW.
– Of course, the US doesn’t use 100GW all 8,760 hours per year. The load/capacity factor of US generation capacity is about 50%. But you can’t discount that to 500GW, unless you also discount the capacity factor of solar PV (which is between 10-20% across the US)

If I’m making a mistake, my apologies. But it would appear that either the claim above is incorrect, or is using some other underlying assumptions (perhaps an ever-increasing rate of installation or the like).

But either way, such claims should be treated with caution. And such grand claims should certainly be explained a bit more.

Germany is doing fine with panels installed Germany. Putting them close to point of use takes care of higher summer supply needs and Germany has summer sun.

Germany can also profit from panels located further south. One does not rule out the other.

Germany has been able to get nuclear off their grid and will be eliminating coal. And they are able to do that without driving their electricity prices through the roof.

Just think what a “Fukishima” might cost in Germany.

And, if Germans are paying anything like we are in the US in hidden coal prices, think about how many taxpayer dollars they will save by getting rid of coal.

Ten of the least densely populated in the country. If they merged into one, it would be only the third most populous, edging out New York.

“The Germans have found the profitable marriage between their energy and environmental policy.”

Opinions differ.

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday solar energy subsidies should be reduced, and it could make more sense in the future to draw solar energy from places like Greece, where the sun shined longer.

Merkel said that while wind energy seemed on track to becoming commercially viable in Germany, this did not seem the case for solar energy.”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/04/us-germany-merkel-idUSTRE7936D920111004

That’s a misleading claim unless you include a method to store that power at an affordable price in order to make solar 24/365.