2023-10-02 15:12:04
Photovoltaic solar farms built in space They could be the next frontier of renewable energy, generating a huge amount of energy and transferring it to the earth for use here. It is not science fiction, but an attempt to obtain clean and unlimited energy that some countries are seriously studying. But How do solar farms work in space?
How do solar farms work in space?
The idea is create large structures with solar panels that receive the sun’s rays and transform that energy to send it to Earth. However, that energy cannot be sent through a cable linking the space photovoltaic station to Earth. Therefore the difficulty increases.
That energy must be transformed into some type of waveeither electromagnetic or otherwise, in order to be transferred to the earth’s surface. Perhaps now Nikola Tesla’s project and dream of transmitting energy over long distances without the need for cables will come true.
Of course, technically develop the platform or structurewhich supports photovoltaic panels and the energy conversion systemwhich is necessary to capture and transmit solar energy, it will be difficult and expensive. In addition, an appropriate launch station will have to be developed, although it seems more logical for installation to be carried out in phases with parts pre-assembled on the ground and assembled in space.
Despite all difficulties, Several countries are studying and developing projects to carry out solar farms in space. For its part, China is making progress in this regard.
China intends to launch a solar power plant into orbit by 2050 and is building a testing facility in the city of Chongqing to find the best way to send the generated power to Earth.
Details of the Chinese project have not been revealed, but John Mankins, Ph.D., who led NASA’s efforts in this field in the 1990s, said that One way to harness solar energy in space would be to launch tens of thousands of “solar satellites” that would join to form a huge cone-shaped structure that would orbit about 350 km above the Earth.
As the green energy revolution accelerates, Solar farms have become part of the landscape throughout the country and, we can also say that throughout the world. But China is taking solar energy to a different level, both due to its magnitude and its commitment to the future. A feat that would make it the first nation to harness the sun’s energy in space and transmit it to Earth.
Why is the construction of solar farms in space so interesting?
The great problem that photovoltaic installations have on earthboth those of self-consumption like the generation gardens, is its dependence on weather conditions and day-night traffic. On the other hand, in space the sun always shines. Thus, space solar power is considered a safe and continuous source of renewable energy.
As explained by the professor of electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology and director of the university’s Space Solar Energy Project, Ali Hajimiri: “In space we don’t have the problem of day and night. Up there we don’t have to worry about clouds or different seasons. In space, the orientation and inclination of the panels is not a difficulty, since it is very easy to achieve the perfect orientation towards the sun at all times. Therefore, energy generation would be between eight and nine times greater than on the earth’s surface.“.
Revisiting old projects
The idea of harnessing solar energy in space as a reliable source of renewable energy is not new. It emerged in the 1970s with the oil crisis., but research largely stalled because the technological demands were thought to be too complex. But with Advances in wireless transmission and improvements in design and the efficiency of photovoltaic cells, that seems to be changing.
The physicist John Mankins has recently stated that We are currently experiencing a certain resurgencethanks to new technologies and advances in photovoltaics and aerospace systems, It seems that we have the capacity to make this happen in the medium term.
According to Mankins, Population growth may be another factor driving renewed interest in space solar energy. With the world’s population expected to rise to 9 billion by 2050, experts say could become a key way to meet global energy demandsand particularly in Japan, northern Europe and other parts of the world that are not particularly sunny.
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