Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:45 pm
Space based Solar Array.
I just watched a program on "Planet Green" where as the people in the program were trying to demonstrate the potental of a orbital solar array to collect and provide solar energy to the earth.
The problem-- transfering the energy from space to earth with little to no loss and at the same time using the least amount of energy possible to do it.
The solution-- Microwaves. and since space is void of anything that would reduce or disrupt the signal the issue begins only when the signal needs to travel the last 60 miles through the atmosphere. Well the show highlighted tests they conducted that show the signal can be sent through the last 60 miles of its journey. However what they found was that even though the signal could travel the last 60 miles and maintain most of its strength it was hard to focus. However it is possible and that is a good thing. Solar arrays placed in space to collect energy and send it to earth could very well solve many of the worlds problems when it comes to energy usage and creation.
The problem-- transfering the energy from space to earth with little to no loss and at the same time using the least amount of energy possible to do it.
The solution-- Microwaves. and since space is void of anything that would reduce or disrupt the signal the issue begins only when the signal needs to travel the last 60 miles through the atmosphere. Well the show highlighted tests they conducted that show the signal can be sent through the last 60 miles of its journey. However what they found was that even though the signal could travel the last 60 miles and maintain most of its strength it was hard to focus. However it is possible and that is a good thing. Solar arrays placed in space to collect energy and send it to earth could very well solve many of the worlds problems when it comes to energy usage and creation.
