Space Based Solar Power Generation.

[uart]

A Californian company is aiming to capture sunlight in space to generate a regular supply of electricity on Earth.

There are significant obstacles to overcome, like the high cost of launching things into space, but California's largest utility has already agreed to buy the power.

I know that this has been proposed as a possibility for large scale power generation for many years, but according to this new article it seems that at least one power company is very serious about getting this up and running in the very near future.

Any thoughts on this? Do you think it will be successful?


See : http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/11/2769652.htm?section=justin

 

[FoxCommander]

This would be amazing! you can get soooo much more solar energy from space than here on earth, and there would be no clouds to block the sun, although with the rotating of Earth I don't know how it would stay in the sun light unless it wasnt in geosynconism or however you spell it ha ha


FoxCommander

 

[russ_watters]

Power companies are, for the most part, requried by law to buy power from anyone who generates it, so the fact that the power company has agreed to buy the power is completely meaningless. It doesn't tell us anything at all about how viable the project is.

 

[n.r.g.]

Yes we can, and have. For many years a "solar" powered microwave power receiver ran successfully in the parking lot of the pentagon. It was removed some years ago I didn't hear that it fried anyone. Seems if a space rock tapped it it might light something up needs a good kill switch on-board auto off if misaligned.

 

[PJC01]

I find the concept of space-based solar power generation intriguing and promising. The idea of capturing sunlight in space and transmitting it back to Earth for electricity production has been discussed for decades, but it is exciting to see that a Californian company is taking concrete steps towards making it a reality.

However, there are indeed significant challenges that need to be addressed before this technology can be successfully implemented. The high cost of launching objects into space is a major obstacle, and it will require significant investment and advancements in space technology to make this economically feasible.

Another important consideration is the reliability and efficiency of the technology itself. While space-based solar panels may have the advantage of receiving uninterrupted sunlight, they also face challenges such as potential damage from debris and the need for regular maintenance.

That being said, it is encouraging to see that California's largest utility has already agreed to purchase the power generated by this technology. This shows that there is potential for space-based solar power to become a viable source of electricity for our planet.

In terms of its success, it is difficult to predict at this point. It will depend on the progress made in addressing the technical and financial challenges, as well as the adoption and support of this technology by other power companies and governments. But I believe that with continued research and development, space-based solar power has the potential to become a major contributor to our global energy needs.