2. Introduction
• Space-based solar power (SBSP) is the concept of collecting
solar power in space using a "solar-power satellite" or a
"satellite power system") for use on Earth.
• It has been in research since the early 1970s.
3. How it would differ
• SBSP would differ from current solar collection methods in
that the means used to collect energy would reside on an
orbiting satellite instead of on Earth's surface.
• Higher collection rate and a longer collection period.
Solar Intensity
1,366 W/m2 No Night Min Weather
Solar Intensity
1,000 W/m2 Night Loss Weather Loss
Space Solar
Ground Solar
4. Basic Concept
• Space-based solar power systems convert sunlight to
microwaves or Laser beam outside the atmosphere, avoiding
these losses, and the downtime (and cosine losses, for fixed
flat-plate collectors) due to the Earth's rotation.
5. History
• Originally known as satellite solar-power system (SSPS), was
first described in November 1968.
•
• On Nov 2, 2012, China proposed space collaboration with
India in SBSP
6. Requirements for Space Based Solar Power
• Low-cost, environmentally-friendly launch vehicles.
• To gather massive quantities of energy, solar power satellites
must be large, far larger than the International Space Station
(ISS).
• Power transmission: To transmit power from satellites to the
Earth’s surface with minimal environmental impact.
7. Design
Space-based solar power essentially consists of three elements:
collecting solar power in space.
transmitting power to earth.
receiving power on earth.
8. Microwave power transmission
• Power transmission via radio waves can be made more
directional, allowing longer distance power beaming.
• A rectenna may be used to convert the microwave energy
back into electricity.
• NASA Study of solar power satellites required a 1-km
diameter transmitting antenna, and a 10 km diameter
receiving rectenna, for a microwave beam at 2.45 GHz.
9.
10. Laser power beaming
Power can be transmitted by converting electricity into a laser beam that is
then pointed at a photovoltaic cell.
Compared to other wireless methods:
• Compact size: solid state lasers fit into small products.
• No radio-frequency interference to existing radio communication such as
Wi-Fi and cell phones.
• Access control: only receivers hit by the laser receive power.
11.
12. Earth-based receiver
• The Earth-based rectenna would likely consist of many short
dipole antennas connected via diodes.
• Microwave broadcasts from the satellite would be received in
the dipoles with about 85% efficiency.
• Rectennas would likely be several kilometers across.
14. Challenges
The most significant technical challenges are the development of
• Low-cost re-usable space access
• Dealing with launch costs
• Demonstration of space-to-Earth power beaming
• Efficient and light space-qualified solar arrays
• Space Assembly, Maintenance and Servicing, and
• Large in-space structures
15. Lets watch a short video for better explanation…..
16. Conclusion
Space solar power is by far the largest potential energy
source available, dwarfing all others combined.
Space solar power can completely solve our
energy problems long term.
The sooner we start and the harder we work, the shorter
"long term" will be.
