How Realistic is Space-Based Solar Power?
Though it sounds too good to be true, we may soon see energy beamed down from space to power our homes.
Just recently in March, the UK government announced they are considering building a $16 billion space-based solar power plant as a part of their plan to reach net zero by 2050. The basic idea is to construct a satellite that will beam energy from its orbit to Earth’s surface, which can be used by civilians every day. But you may be asking: can this even work? What are the drawbacks? So without further ado, let’s look at the potential of space-based solar power.
All the Power You Could Ask For
Every hour, more solar energy hits the Earth than the amount of energy humanity uses in a year. However, 30% of all solar energy is reflected by the atmosphere and clouds. So while we have access to an incredible amount of power on the surface, it’s far, far less than what we could potentially achieve. And beyond this, we must account for the fact that commercial solar panels only manage to use around 15–20% of the solar energy they capture. As you can see, there is a lot of room to improve.
However, in space, there is no atmosphere, clouds, or lack of sunlight to worry about. A space-based solar power system could…
