(ORDO NEWS) — Many countries are striving to reduce their carbon footprint and are gradually switching to renewable energy sources. In particular, solar power plants that can be placed anywhere, even in space.
Space solar power plant could be one of the technologies to achieve carbon neutrality
In mid-March 2022, British Science Minister George Freeman announced that the British government was ready to consider a £16 billion project that would go towards building a massive solar power plant in space. We tell what kind of station it is and why it is needed.
What is space solar energy
Space solar energy is the collection of solar energy directly in space with further transmission to Earth. To do this, it is necessary to launch a huge spacecraft equipped with solar panels into orbit.
These panels will generate electricity and send it using high-frequency radio waves to special receivers located on Earth, and they will already convert the waves into electricity.
At the same time, the space solar power plant will be illuminated by the Sun around the clock, so it will be able to continuously generate electricity. In this regard, it is more practical than ground-based solar power plants, which depend on the weather and time of day.
If the UK does start building a space power plant, the finished device is estimated to have a diameter of 1.7 km and weigh about 2,000 tons. Such a station would be capable of generating 2 GW of energy every year.
Which countries can launch space solar power plants in the near future
At the moment, some countries are already developing their own developments that will help in the construction of space solar power plants. For example, the United States has the Space Solar Power project, which creates high-efficiency solar cells, as well as energy conversion and transmission systems optimized for use in space.
China is also continuing to work on its solar space power plant, which it plans to launch by 2035.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.