Reply #67: 2004: 471EJ/y = 15TW = 15,000 1GW reactors [View All]

[bananas]

To handle peak load on each continent, you'd probably have to double that,
unless you have a global grid connecting the east and west hemispheres.

Not sure where you got 4,000 reactors from - maybe you're talking about electricity only?
Don't memorize 400EJ/y or even 471EJ/y, 2004 was three years ago.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_energy_resources_and_consumption

In 2004, the average total worldwide power consumption of the human race was 15 TW (= 1.5 x 1013 W) with 86.5% from burning fossil fuels.

According to the US Energy Information Administration's 2006 estimate, the estimated 15TW total energy consumption of 2004 was divided as follows, with fossil fuels supplying 86% of the world's energy:
Fuel type Power in TW<1> Energy/year in EJ
Oil 5.6 180
Gas 3.5 110
Coal 3.8 120
Hydroelectric 0.9 30
Nuclear 0.9 30
Geothermal, wind,
solar, wood 0.13 4
Total 15 471