California Wants to Draw Energy From the World’s First Orbiting Solar Farm

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By 2016, the energy powering some California homes may come from solar panels orbiting the planet. California’s largest electric utility has announced plans to purchase energy from Solaren Corp., a startup company that hopes to launch the first commercial test of space solar power. Solaren would generate the power using solar panels in Earth orbit and convert it to radio-frequency transmissions that would be beamed down to a receiving station in Fresno…. From there, the energy would be converted into electricity and fed into [the] power grid [MSNBC]. The idea of space-based solar energy has been discussed for decades. It appeared in science fiction as far back as 1941 and later received serious study by NASA and the Pentagon. At times, it has been dismissed as fantasy [San Francisco Chronicle]. But the potential of a solar farm that can generate energy day and night, regardless of the weather, has been enticing enough to keep researchers working on the idea. Now, Solaren CEO Gary Spirnak says the technology is ready for prime time. “While a system of this scale and exact configuration has not been built, the underlying technology is very mature and is based on communications satellite technology,” he said [MSNBC].

The electric utility, Pacific Gas and Electric, has asked state regulators to approve the purchase of up to 200 megawatts of solar power from Solaren once their satellite system is built–that’s enough electricity to power about 150,000 homes. “Emerging technologies like space solar face considerable hurdles,” the utility acknowledged in a filing with the California Public Utilities Commission on Friday. However, it added, “PG&E believes that potential, significant benefits to its customers from a successful space solar installation outweigh the challenges associated with a new and unproven technology” [Mercury News].

Solaren says it’s committed to beginning its commercial operation by 2016, but to reach that ambitious goal Spirnak admitted that the company will need to raise billions of dollars. However, he believes his company is up to the task. Solaren’s team of satellite engineers, most of whom worked for the Air Force or Boeing’s space division, will start designing the solar arrays and satellite, working in concert with contractors in the aerospace industry, Spirnak said. The team will perform test launches to try out their designs before moving to the pilot stage, he said [The Wall Street Joural]. The company’s proposed system would require four rocket launches to get the components into space, but once there the parts could be automatically assembled without an astronaut’s assistance.

As for the danger of microwave beams from space going astray and burning up the countryside, PG&E referred to a NASA scientist’s paper [pdf] that made the point that such a space beam carries less energy than sunlight, or about 3 percent of the energy of a typical microwave oven — not enough to boil anyone’s blood [Greentech Media].

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2009/04/14/california-wants-to-draw-energy-from-the-worlds-first-obiting-solar-farm/

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Great! More space junk. It's getting dense around the planet - ####### up there starts colliding already.

[Ban Hammer 13,360]

great example of nimby.

[mawilson 2,133]

Great! More space junk. It's getting dense around the planet - ####### up there starts colliding already.

Yeah, really.

[Amby 490]

Steve did you search for this after reading about the L5 society?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steve did you search for this after reading about the L5 society?

No? What's that? I just saw this on Discover Magazine.

[Amby 490]

Steve did you search for this after reading about the L5 society?

No? What's that? I just saw this on Discover Magazine.

That's so weird. I asked about this exact thing on the say anything thread this morning. The L5 society was created in the 70s. They wanted to start space colonies. They're now the national space society (I think). Anyways, they wanted to do this satellite thing in the 70s but they couldn't get any politicians to take the project on because it was going to take 20yrs to get it off the ground with the technology they had.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Steve did you search for this after reading about the L5 society?

No? What's that? I just saw this on Discover Magazine.

That's so weird. I asked about this exact thing on the say anything thread this morning. The L5 society was created in the 70s. They wanted to start space colonies. They're now the national space society (I think). Anyways, they wanted to do this satellite thing in the 70s but they couldn't get any politicians to take the project on because it was going to take 20yrs to get it off the ground with the technology they had.

I'd tell you I'm a lifelong member, but I'd be lying.

[Amby 490]

well I'm happy you posted it I was curious about it.

[fozzie 41]

well I'm happy you posted it I was curious about it.

Sound a little ridiculous to me. I'm all for solar power but this?

[Amby 490]

well I'm happy you posted it I was curious about it.

Sound a little ridiculous to me. I'm all for solar power but this?

well think how insane it sounded to people in 1974

[one...two...tree 2,762]

well I'm happy you posted it I was curious about it.

Sound a little ridiculous to me. I'm all for solar power but this?

well think how insane it sounded to people in 1974

I wish the aliens would just come out and tell us they are here and for us to have no fear because their technology will save us.

[GaryC 7]

The conversion and transmission losses would be huge! Add to that, there would be an area that would have to be off limits to air traffic. Can you imagine what would happen if you flew through the microwave beam? Plus the array in space would need maintenance. Think of the cost of sending a repair team up when something went wrong. It's a cool idea but unworkable.

[Ban Hammer 13,360]

well I'm happy you posted it I was curious about it.

Sound a little ridiculous to me. I'm all for solar power but this?

well think how insane it sounded to people in 1974

I wish the aliens would just come out and tell us they are here and for us to have no fear because their technology will save us.

what's with the name change?

[Nagishkaw 510]

I was thinking the same thing.