The land required for each kind of power plant to generate a gigawatt hour (GWh) of electricity
Land required for generating electricity
| Land use | Electricity generated over 75 years (GWh) | Acres per GWh per year | Reclamation options |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar | 25.00 | 8.33 (perpetual) | Remove panels and dual-use |
| Nuclear (mining) | 16.66 | 16.66 (only once) | Very high cost (radioactive) |
| Coal (mining) | 11.11 | 11.11 (only once) | Costly (<1% reclaimed) |
| Wind | 2.90 | 26 (perpetual) | Remove turbines and dual-use |
| Hydro | 2.50 | 30 (perpetual) | Drain dam + restoration |
| Biomass | 0.40 | 188 (perpetual) | Replant trees |
(Download the full spreadsheet here using the button at the bottom right of the embedded spreadsheet)
Each type of land has its own sources and analysis. Here they are:
- Nuclear / Uranium (mining) —
- Coal (mining)
- Solar
- Wind
- Biomass
- Hydro
This data is used in the article: When it comes to land impact, does solar, wind, nuclear, coal, or natural gas have the smallest footprint?
Code: m129 GWhLandComp math xbMath