Well it appears that the calculation I couldn’t do has been done. The sun supplies enough energy to the earth in one hour to power all our energy uses for a year. Read here.
It seems that even with solar cells at 8% efficiency we could power everything from a small area in the Mojave desert.
Surely this must be the answer. Probably easier than my space solution anyway.
It could also be the replacement energy source that could be supplied by all those middle eastern countries when the oil eventually runs out. Of course this way the US would be independent and could supply the whole of the Americas.
Until global warming kicks in of course we would have to buy our energy in. Typical.