The world’s population is growing at a rate of around 1.05% per year, hence the need for energy is increasing. Considering the depletion rate of fossil fuels, the ever-rising demand for power is troubling the officials causing them to look for alternatives. Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed through photovoltaic cells which convert light energy to electrical energy. This renewable source has always been the top priority among all other alternatives given that it is a clean energy source and is ever-lasting as our sun is not going to extinguish anytime soon. However, there are certain hitches such as the efficiency of solar panels is quite less (11%) and the amount of radiation incident on the panels is just over 40% because of the atmospheric reflection and absorption.
To combat this ticklish problem, scientists have come up with numerous solutions but none of them is economically viable or practical with the current technology. One such ingenious high-tech solution is Space-based Solar Power (SBSP). The aim of SBSP is to install solar panel system in Geo-Synchronous orbits and relay the power back to earth using microwaves or lasers. Theoretically SBSP proved to be highly efficient when compared to ground-based solar panels as there are no nights in space. SBSP was first introduced in the early 1970s by Peter Glaser. Between 1978 and 1986, the USA authorized the Department of Energy (DoE) and NASA to jointly investigate the concept along with Glaser. The research resulted in a system design that could theoretically deliver about 10 gigawatt’s (GW) of power on earth, using a large (10 km by 15 km) solar array located in geosynchronous orbit. The study remains the most extensive performed to date (budget $50 million). Though, with the current technology this system is highly expensive to build in outer space, scientists predict that it will be economically viable in the coming decades.
The construction of a space elevator will be a major boost for the initiation of SBSP. Authorities say this magnificent piece of engineering could be developed by 2050. With the dawn of the space elevator, the construction cost for SBSP will be drastically lowered. It is expected that the total payload of the SBSP is 80000 metric tons. The present plans indicate that a space elevator can lift 14 metric tons a day. The construction time can be lowered if multiple space elevators are built. It will take decades of investment, building, testing, and successful implementation before the system can begin to recoup its initial costs. If successful, the SBSP will provide clean and reliable energy to the world. Also, SBSP has a wireless power transfer system which makes it easier to distribute power all over the Earth. This might be our best step to combat climate change in the future and perhaps a stepping stone to becoming a Type 2 civilisation on the Kardashev scale.
