# When will humanity use more than one millionth of the sun's energy output?

The sun produces $3.86\times 10^{26}$ watts. At the beginning of 2017, humanity captured $3.03\times 10^{11}$ watts using photovoltaic systems (less than 10⁻¹³% or one quadrillionth).

However, the sun is one of the major sources of energy in the solar system, and it has been proposed that advanced civilizations could use their star as their main source of energy. Specific structures proposed for this include Dyson spheres and their subtypes (swarms, bubbles and shells).

Some futurists assume that such a structure could in principle be built in less than a century, given self-replicating mining equipment that disassembles mercury or large asteroids.

This question asks: When will humanity be able to use more than $3.86 \times 10^{20}$ watts produced by the sun?

This question will resolve positively to the year CE when humanity is able to use more than $3.86 \times 10^{20}$ watts produced by the sun, the star in the center of the solar system.

The resolution date will be determined by the metaculus moderators.

This question will resolve ambiguously if the sun is destroyed before energy collection on this scale can occur, or if humanity goes extinct before it can complete such a project.

"Humanity" is defined as the genetic and/or intellectual descendants of current biological humans, including (but not limited to) emulated humans (ems) and artificial intelligences.

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