[subroutine]

In the video, Derek says the sun provides "a more useful form of energy than earth gives back because it is more concentrated". I would argue this is not technically true. What makes the energy from the sun useful is that it emits blackbody radiation, and this has photons that are more energetic than heat (IR) radiated back into space. Light with wavelengths between 400-700 nm are used by plants for photosynthesis. Heat radiated back into the atmosphere is mostly in the IR spectrum. This is both quantitatively and qualitatively important due to the quantized properties of electrons orbiting nuclii (IR wavelengths cannot readily to elevate electrons into a greater energy state).

see: https://youtu.be/_vK5KPycEvA