On: Is it better to plant trees or let forests regrow ...

[VBprogrammer]

Sorry, I don't have time to dig much out. The tldr is that we tend to overestimate the inputs like water and fertilizers and underestimate the massive amount of energy added by the sun.

[mensetmanusman → VBprogrammer]

Solar energy is getting so inexpensive and more TWhr installations will come online in the next century, it’s still possible we can use that energy.

I’m thinking more on the 100 year timeline.

[netrus → mensetmanusman]

But then you will need the space freed from agriculture for the solar energy production, instead of forests? In the end, isn't a field of corn a massive solar energy plant?

[Polylactic_acid → netrus]

A real improvement would be to reduce the amount of grain we need to produce. Cutting down on beef consumption would have a huge impact.

[mensetmanusman → netrus]

But not nearly as much land would be required, if Nebraska was covered with solar panels, that would be enough for the world:

https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=200+W%2Fm%5E2+*+area+o...

[quixoticelixer- → mensetmanusman]

Yes but plants have built in solar panels, you need to have solar energy that is much more efficient than plants and also very, very cheap