Solar power from space
Posted on 22. Dec, 2009 by Heleen in Actualiteit, Green Corner
A few days ago, the Californian regulator approved an ambitious project to beam solar energy from space.
On Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission gave its blessing to an agreement that would see the Pacific Gas and Electric Company buy 200 megawatts of power beamed down from solar-power satellites beginning in 2016.
A start-up company called Solaren is designing the satellites, which it says will use radio waves to beam energy down to a receiving station on Earth.
But space-based solar power must grapple with the high cost per kilogram of launching things into space, says Richard Schwartz of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. (…) A patent the company has won describes ways to reduce the system’s weight, including using inflatable mirrors to focus sunlight on solar cells, so a smaller number can collect the same amount of energy.
The least you can say is that they have ambition…
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Heleen Van Hoof
Heleen Van Hoof is the chief editor of the Econoshock 'Green Corner'.She holds a degree as
"Civil Engineer", and has an extensive experience in energy, alternative energies and environmental issues.
On this blog, she inspires the Econoshock-readers with news on energy, the green economy and sustainable economics.
To contact Heleen: greencorner[at]econopolis.beFor press and media : +32/3/3666.555
Carl Van Keirsbilck
22. Dec, 2009
Lijkt me letterlijk en figuurlijk een beetje VER gezocht. Nu ja, dat leek een bezoekje aan de maan in de jaren 40 en 50 wellicht ook tot het in ‘69 zover was.