Space-based solar power finally comes of age

Solar power has the potential to solve all of humankind's energy problems. The amount of solar energy that reaches the surface of the Earth, per year, is somewhere in the region of 8,000 times higher than our current power requirements. If we were to cover just 1% (or indeed 0.The dot matrix printers are like the type writers of bygone days where the Thermal printer OEM is soaked with the ink and a hammer like motion prints the letters on to the paper formed from the matrix of tiny dots.metal machining01%) of the Earth's surface in solar panels, we would have more than enough electricity to satiate society's current and future needs. It isn't that simple, of course, otherwise we would've already done it.For a start, solar power is unreliable: Fluctuating weather conditions, seasons, and the day-night cycle all mean that solar farms on Earth can never reach optimum efficiency. Then there's the matter of power transmission: The sunniest parts of Earth are generally the least densely populated, and it's virtually impossible (and incredibly inefficient) to move power from the Sahara to, say, Europe. Then there's the initial outlay: A typical solar power installation might produce around 150 watts per square meter — and for large installations, the price per watt is now around $1. To cover 1% of the Earth's surface (about 5 billion square meters) would cost around $750 billion — a figure that isn't completely untenable, but way out of reach of any commercial entity. Another intriguing option is space-based solar power (SBSP). In short, SBSP would place a solar farm in geosynchronous orbit (35,786 km, 22,structural steel236 mi) and beam electricity back to Earth using microwave- or laser-based wireless power transmission. Outside of the Earth's atmosphere the SBSP installation would receive about 30% more power from the Sun, would be operational for almost 24 hours per day,We enhance the competitiveness of our crusher customers and advance sustainable industrial development worldwide with best available technologies. and of course would not be affected by Earth's weather systems. If such a solar farm was placed over the equator, it wouldn't be affected by the seasons, either.Perhaps the most exciting aspect of space-based solar power, though, is the ability to beam power to whoever needs it most. An SBSP installation could provide extra juice for the dinner rushes in Tokyo, Shanghai, Delhi, Istanbul, Paris, London, New York, and Los Angeles, all without breaking a sweat. Try doing that with grid-based power, which cannot easily be transmitted over a few thousand miles.So why hasn't NASA already launched a space-based solar power plant, then? Because, like large-scale solar power here on Earth, it's incredibly expensive to launch things into orbit. It currently costs around $20,000 to place a kilogram (2.2lbs) into geostationary orbit (GSO), and about half that for low-Earth orbit (LEO).Of course this presented what appeared to be an insurmountable problem for the Earth auger as they could not close off the fairway to install the required cables.