Power From Here: Most Of Humanity Already Lives Where Solar & Wind Are Strongest

Analysis by Prof Ray Wills (University of Western Australia) and Prof Peter Newman (Curtin University) demonstrates that roughly two-thirds of humanity lives in low-to-mid latitudes where solar irradiation is highest, and a large minority (billions) live in 35–60° latitude bands with excellent wind resources, meaning solar and wind together can provide the majority of electricity almost everywhere when combined with battery storage.

Analysis identifies resource availability; it does not itself address the pace of infrastructure investment, grid modernization, or financing barriers that determine actual deployment.