Comparing Photosynthesis and Photovoltaics  
       
  Photosynthesis  
  claim#1       2,400,000,000,000,000,000  btu/year   
  *                                    0.293  watt-hrs/btu   
  =          703,200,000,000,000,000  watt-hrs/year   
  /                           150,000,000  km^2 of land on earth   
  =                         4,688,000,000  watt-hr/sq km   
         
  PV  
  claim                                    1,000  watts/meter^2 at noon   
  *                                          5  hrs/day of noon sun equivalent, global average 
  =                                    5,000  watt-hrs/m^2/day   
  *                                       365  days/year   
  =                               1,825,000  watt-hrs/m^2/year   
  *                               1,000,000  m^2/km^2   
  =                   1,825,000,000,000  watt-hrs/km^2/year   
         
  Ratio PV:Photosynthesis  
                                          389  PV:Biomass   
    0.26%  Biomass:PV   
         
  Validate Claim  
  claim#1 2.4E+18  btu terrestrial plants   
  / 1.2E+11  tonnes   
  =                             20,000,000  btu/tonne   
  /                                    1,000  kg/tonne   
  / 2.2  kg/lb   
  =                                    9,091  btu/lb   
  (This result meets sanity test.)  
         
       
  Claim#1:      
  Today, terrestrial plants produce about 120 billion metric tons of biomass (dry weight)1 globally each year (IPCC, 2001). The energy in this biomass totals about 2,400 quads2 (1 quad = 1015 Btu). Modern economies, however, rely extensively on fossil fuels rather than biomass for their energy. In 2001, the world consumption of fossil fuels totaled about 315 quads, about one-quarter of which was consumed in the United States (BP, 2002).  
  http://www.nae.edu/nae/bridgecom.nsf/weblinks/MKUF-5NTMX9?OpenDocument