Final answer:
To store 2 full days' worth of average US electricity use (22 billion kWh), it would cost between $4.4 trillion and $6.6 trillion, based on battery storage costs of $200-300 per kWh.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the cost to build enough batteries to store 2 full days' worth of average US electricity use, we first need to determine the amount of electricity to be stored. The average daily electricity consumption in the US is approximately 11 billion kWh. Therefore, for two full days, we need to store 22 billion kWh.
Considering battery storage costs ranging from $200-300 per kWh, the total cost of batteries to store this much energy would be:
- Low-end estimate: 22 billion kWh × $200/kWh = $4.4 trillion
- High-end estimate: 22 billion kWh × $300/kWh = $6.6 trillion
This is a simplistic calculation that does not take into account potential volume discounts, technological advancements that may reduce costs, or any added expenses related to the battery system's maintenance, replacement, and operation.