Yes, but the direct heating effect is quite small compared to the effect of greenhouse gases. The world primary energy consumption is around 19 TW, whereas radiative forcing (difference to pre-industrial values) is estimated to be around 1 PW.
Yes, but the direct heating effect is quite small compared to the effect of greenhouse gases. The world primary energy consumption is around 19 TW, whereas radiative forcing (difference to pre-industrial values) is estimated to be around 1 PW.
Ah that’s helpful. Numbers give a sense of scale. Thanks
Also note that 19TW is not even mostly heat but useful work: turning motors, pumping fluids or gases, generating light and sound, etc.
This is incorrect. Almost all primary energy is turned into heat eventually. Only a microscopic fraction is turned into light that escapes into space.
The stored potential energy of a concrete block on the 15th floor of a building takes a very long time to turn back into heat.