Comment on Solar panels in space could cut Europe's renewable energy needs by 80%

BombOmOm@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• otter@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  The article is actually discussing a feasibility study for the far future (25 years from now as per the article):

  For the first time, researchers from King’s College London have assessed the possible impact that generating solar energy in space could have for Europe. They found it could cut energy battery storage needs by more than two-thirds.

  The study, published in Joule, analysed the potential of a design by NASA for solar generation, which is planned to be in use by 2050. The findings show the design could also save money by reducing the cost of the whole power system in Europe by up to 15%, including energy generation, storage and network infrastructure costs – an estimated saving of 35.9 billion euros per year.

  Space-based solar power generation involves in-space continuous collection of solar energy. This involves placing large solar panels on satellites in orbit, where they are exposed to much more sunlight and can continuously collect energy without being affected by clouds or the day-night cycle. This energy would then be transmitted to one or more stations on Earth. It is then converted to electricity and delivered to the energy grid or batteries for storage.

  It’s a cool idea and I’d imagine we’d need an array spanning the globe rather than just over one continent

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  • spankmonkey@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    (25 years from now as per the article)

    Anything 20 years or more away is a pipe dream that isn’t likely to happen anywhere close to speculation.

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  • echodot@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    You could build a circle of satellites on the dawn dusk line, I’m just have them do polar orbits. I think there’s such a thing as a solar stationary orbit.

    The thing is 25 years isn’t really that far in the future. Not when you count all the lead in time. Firstly you have to invent the microwave power transmission array that’s probably going to take it a decade and that’s been optimistic, then you’ve somehow got to a range to launch hundreds of thousands of even millions of solar power satellites, then you have to figure out a way for the satellites to transmit the energy to the transmission already and you have to build the receiving array on earth.

    It took them 10 months just to build our companies new building and it’s the most generic thing you’ve ever seen. How are they going to do all this in 25 years?

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