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Now, we use a LOT of energy every day, and we're getting it from reserves that have built up over millions of years. It's entirely possible that we're using more than Z amount of energy per day -- and if we're not now, then with the trend as it is, we eventually will be. Therefore, pure solar energy -- no matter how you do it, silicon or biomass -- will not solve the problem long-term.

According to World of Meters, we use energy equivalent to just more than 4% of the incident solar radiation. That's a lot of room for inefficiency.