If Superman Was Powered By Electricity Instead Of The Sun How Much Electricity Would He Need?

[Spacescifi]

To do super stuff? Let's say that without charging up this budget version of Superman is only human.

So how much electrical energy would he need to charge up with in order to say... fly around for an hour?

Let's say Superman weighs 200 pounds of muscle and wants to do the simple feat of flying around for an hour no faster than your average passenger jet.

He can charge up by putting his hand on an electrical source that can conduct electricity to him.

My guess: He is going to have to drain the entire electrical grid or nuclear power plants if he really wants to be super, and even then I don't think that's enough to make him super durable, but flight I actually think he could power, just for a limited time.

Edited August 27, 2023 by Spacescifi

[darthgently]

4 hours ago, Spacescifi said:

To do super stuff? Let's say that without charging up this budget version of Superman is only human.

So how much electrical energy would he need to charge up with in order to say... fly around for an hour?

Let's say Superman weighs 200 pounds of muscle and wants to do the simple feat of flying around for an hour no faster than your average passenger jet.

He can charge up by putting his hand on an electrical source that can conduct electricity to him.

My guess: He is going to have to drain the entire electrical grid or nuclear power plants if he really wants to be super, and even then I don't think that's enough to make him super durable, but flight I actually think he could power, just for a limited time.

How much electricity does it take to reverse time by 3 days by flying around the Earth really fast?   Super hero sagas do not provide any insight into physics but rather provide insight into human struggles, hopes, dreams, fears, mythology, and psychology

[Shpaget]

An average guy has surface area of about 2 m^2. Since even Superman can only have one side facing the Sun, this puts the upper limit of solar power received to about 1 kW on Earth surface (about 1300 W in orbit). Presumably he spends half the time on the night side of the Earth, so total energy harvesting is capped at about 12 kWh per day. If that is enough to allow him to do all the Superman stuff, there is your answer. My vacuum cleaner is about twice as powerful.

[KSK]

50 minutes ago, darthgently said:

How much electricity does it take to reverse time by 3 days by flying around the Earth really fast?   Super hero sagas do not provide any insight into physics but rather provide insight into human struggles, hopes, dreams, fears, mythology, and psychology

1.21 gigawatts - but you don't want to know where Supes hides the flux capacitor.

[JoeSchmuckatelli]

I don't know - but I guess the insolation of one man sized superman is a fairly small amount of radiation. 

Given that is a pretty steady source, and apparently radiates through the planet (nighttime superman is still super) I'm guessing fairly energetic particles / Dark Energy. 

Electric Superman OTOH isn't getting a steady stream of power - so he might actually be SuperPutPutMan

[kerbiloid]

Not much.

Spoiler

But can be painful.

Spoiler

Proven on Superman, Batman, and other testers.

[Spacescifi]

7 hours ago, KSK said:

1.21 gigawatts - but you don't want to know where Supes hides the flux capacitor.

There is only one place where it would not be obvious.... ouch and yuck lol.

[Arugela]

On 8/27/2023 at 12:57 PM, Spacescifi said:

There is only one place where it would not be obvious.... ouch and yuck lol.

Two, if you're clever about it. Or want to impress the ladies. The pose and the underpants would sort of accentuate that area.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Arugela