Japan Space Solar Plans: Of Laser Beams and Solar Streams

Posted by Big Gav in japan, space based solar power

Japan's space agency, USEF, is in the news again with their plans to build a space solar power station, equivalent to a medium sized nuclear plant, by 2030. Inspired by hope that such a sci-fi vision becomes reality, we have some advice for the Japanese space agency, some wisdom learned in the trenches of the fight against global warming. The nugget of knowledge that could make the difference between success and failure for the ambitious space-based solar station is this:

Nix on talk about laser or microwave beams from space to earth.

1 comments

Keith Henson says 7:56 AM

"Nix on talk about laser or microwave beams from space to earth."

How else would you propose to get the energy down?

Lasers don't seem to be an efficient way to get power down, but they do look like a good way to get cargo to GEO for under $100/kg. That's low enough to build power sats at $1.6 B/GW and for the power to sell for 2 cents per kWh.

If you want people to quit using fossil fuels, I can think of no more effective way than to sell alternatives cheaper.

Keith Henson