[oilfreeandhappy]

There have probably been threads on this topic, but I haven't seen any. There are some very optimistic scientists who believe that Space Solar Technology is the long-term answer to the Earth's power needs. The theory is that in space, the solar rays are available 24 hours, at full intensity, without atmospheric restrictions. The second part of the theory is that the power can be microwaved to receivers on Earth.

The Japanese want to build a station by 2040. Their idea is to launch the mass of PV panels and infrastructure into orbit.
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ssp-01a.html

"METI plans to launch a satellite capable of generating one million kilowatts per second -- equivalent to the output of a nuclear plant -- into geostationary orbit, about 36,000 kilometers (22,320 miles) above the earth's surface."

"The satellite will have two gigantic solar power-generating wing panels, each measuring three kilometers by a 1,000 meter diameter power transmission antenna between them, Takenouchi said."

"The electricity produced will be sent back to earth in the form of microwaves with a lower intensity than those emitted by mobile phones."

""We intend to ensure the microwaves will not interrupt mobile phone and other telecommunications," Takenouchi said."....

This next link is a little more balanced, and addresses some of the cost problems.
http://www.solarpanelinfo.com/solarproj ... -power.php

"The project is obviously too large and would require to much energy to be assembled and launched from Earth, so unfortunately the delicate task of construction in space must be addressed. Manual construction using conventional robotics and manpower would be rather expensive, and are estimated to be will above cost-efficient margins. However, with more research and development in advanced robotics, teleoperation, and cost-effective methods of orbital construction, a space-based solar station might just be one step closer to reality. "

None of this sounds like anything to take to the bank as far as a "proven energy policy", and it may not be viable at all. However, it's probably worth more research.

Jim Gagnepain
http://home.comcast.net/~oil_free_and_happy/

[Peak_Plus]

Yeah, my brother was working on a projekt like that, but it's obviously too expensive and would take a very long time to get even the fist dime out of it.

Either the US military finds out that it is the ultimate weapon/insurance against energy dependence or it really will take til 2040/50 to implement. Do <i>you</i> have that much time? For the rest of us, it will probably be too late.

That's the real problem. Time may already have run out.

[Etalon]

I hope that was a typo... 1 milllion kilowatts per second makes no sense whatsoever. Some may call me picky, but would you trust a press release which advertised a car which did 60mpg per second, or a more accurate example, a 300hp / second engine..

Only problems I can see:

1) initial energy cost to put em up there
2) is there enough time
3) solar cell degredation by high energy particles/space junk. (I dont know if this is an issue)

[mrflora]

For some time now I have believed that lunar-based solar power is a better idea than earth-orbiting solar:

http://www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/pub ... 4_1_33.asp

Regards,
M.R.F.

[mrflora]

For some time now I have believed that lunar-based solar power is a better idea than earth-orbiting solar:

http://www.worldenergy.org/wec-geis/pub ... 4_1_33.asp

Regards,
M.R.F.

[Pique]

An intriguing thing about a solar array is that unlike a terrestrial solar array, it doesn't have to withstand high winds, rain, or anything like that. So you can build it out of incredibly thin, almost microscopic, foil.

The thing I'm a bit skeptical about is this: if you microwave-transmit enough power to satisfy all of our demands, would any wireless devices function? Did you ever try to wi-fi or a cordless phone while running a microwave oven? Now imagine how much interference there would be if you were standing inside a petawatt microwave oven. But for all I know, maybe choosing a good reserved frequency range alleviates that concern.

[Odin]

In SimCity a microwave power plant mishap can fry a part of your city.

[backstop]

Surely it would make far more sense to put the thousands of arrays needed into geo-stationary orbit around Venus ?

Being that much closer to the Sun, and also free of the millions of bits of litter our best efforts have scattered round the Earth,
they would give that much better, and more reliable, a return on the capital outlay.

Not that I'm suggesting that such a fantasy is remotely preferable to putting the same expenditure
into say Offshore Wave and global Reforestation for Energy.

regards,

Backstop

[cube]

There's nothing new about this idea. It's been a sci fi writer's wet dream for who knows how long? Right alongside the idea of the supersonic vacuum maglev train and the space elevator.

In fact some would argue that a space elevator must be built first before the space based solar array.

why?

B/C it takes way too much energy to launch rockets into space. However a space elevator can transport cargo into space while consuming significantly less energy.

Folks lets be realistic here. We're having enough trouble trying to fill in pot holes on the freeways. I think we need more "down to earth" examples.

It takes a lot of energy to make liquid hydrogen fuel for space rockets. PO will only exacerbate the problem.

[Etalon]

If they are around venus, were gonna get problems with
a) accuracy in uplinking microwave radiation and dispersion, and
b) what happens when venus is on the other side of the sun?

[sol]

or may be a couple of these "beaming" microwave energy back down to Earth

Tethered satalite

plenty of power right there, they blew the tether with to much grunt



$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'L')ike a giant dynamo in an planet-sized generator, the Tethered Satellite System soared through Earth's magnetic field in February 1996 at almost five miles per second, generating an electrical current through a tether which linked satellite to space shuttle.

In fact, it made as much as 1.8 kilowatts, a lot more electrical power than had been expected.

"The electrical currents collected at the satellite were factors of two to four higher than the standard theoretical predictions," said Dr. Kenneth Wright, a senior research associate in UAH's Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research. "At all satellite voltages the currents were more than predicted. At lower voltages they were ten or more times what was predicted."

[Frank]

This has been discussed before, I think in a topic called "lunar solar" or something like that (I can't get Search to work right now). There's all sorts of problems and costs and it's nothing more than a pipedream. Spend the money now on land-based solar and get the benefit sooner.

[whereagles]

A friend of mine, who works at the European Space Agency, once told me what the catch was with solar power sattelites:

1. Techinically difficult and expensive to lift the amounts of materials needed to assemble such a sattelite.

2. The energy generated could be directed at most points within the sattelite's line-of-sight, i.e. it could be used as a weapon. For this reason, space-borne countries have agreed not to try for that.

(The energy situation has changed since I talked to my friend, though. So things might be different nowadays.)

Incidently, "one million killowatt per second" = 1 giga-watt, which is roughly the same power output of a coal or nuclear plant.

[Caoimhan]

There are some who say that power can be generated in space more efficiently and for much less cost with Stirling motors much like the ones being built by Stirling Energy Systems (SES).

[sol]

Or something along these lines??

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')esla recognizes only a quantitative difference between sending radio signals and broadcasting electric power. Both involve sending and receiving stations tuned to one another by means of tesla coil circuits. Tesla's wireless power would be the ultimate centralized electric system, a capitalist dream, but for the fact that the technology is too simple. Just raising an antenna, planting a ground, and connecting simple Tesla coil circuitry in between could achieve reception of power.

Although Tesla himself patented a couple of electric meters for high frequencies, it would be all too easy for consumers to tune in for free, just as many today bootleg pay TV signals using illicit equipment far more sophisticated. It is no wonder, then, that the electric power establishment didn't welcome this invention. This was one problem. Another was that the established electric power system would have to be relegated to another great pile of scrap, and maybe the established system of political power as well.

[0mar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mrflora', 'F')or some time now I have believed that lunar-based solar power is a better idea than earth-orbiting solar:

[sol]

Or something along these lines??

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')esla recognizes only a quantitative difference between sending radio signals and broadcasting electric power. Both involve sending and receiving stations tuned to one another by means of tesla coil circuits. Tesla's wireless power would be the ultimate centralized electric system, a capitalist dream, but for the fact that the technology is too simple. Just raising an antenna, planting a ground, and connecting simple Tesla coil circuitry in between could achieve reception of power.

Although Tesla himself patented a couple of electric meters for high frequencies, it would be all too easy for consumers to tune in for free, just as many today bootleg pay TV signals using illicit equipment far more sophisticated. It is no wonder, then, that the electric power establishment didn't welcome this invention. This was one problem. Another was that the established electric power system would have to be relegated to another great pile of scrap, and maybe the established system of political power as well.

[oilfreeandhappy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('0mar', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mrflora', 'F')or some time now I have believed that lunar-based solar power is a better idea than earth-orbiting solar:

[0mar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('oilfreeandhappy', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('0mar', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('pstarr', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mrflora', 'F')or some time now I have believed that lunar-based solar power is a better idea than earth-orbiting solar: