SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the what-could-possibly-go-wrong-with-a-gigawatt-laser-in-space? dept.
China wants to put a solar farm in space by 2025
According to China's state-backed Science and Technology Daily, Chinese scientists plan to build and launch small power stations into the stratosphere between 2021 and 2025, upgrading to a megawatt-level station in 2030 and a gigawatt-level facility high above the earth before 2050. Without atmospheric interference or night-time loss of sunlight, these space-based solar farms could provide an inexhaustible source of clean energy. The China Academy of Space Technology Corporation claims such a set-up could "reliably supply energy 99 per cent of the time, at six-times the intensity" of solar installations on earth.
China's proposal suggests converting solar energy into electricity in space, before beaming back to Earth using a microwave or laser and feeding into the grid via a ground receiving system.
Also at the Sydney Morning Herald.
See also: China Wants to Build the First Power Station in Space
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 19 2019, @01:04PM (3 children)
hey why don't we burn the coal in space, and then beam down the power? no carbon emissions clouding the atmosphere! and if you burn the coal on the moon, you can make a carbon atmosphere and make plants grow!
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday February 19 2019, @02:02PM
Can we terraform the Moon with sulfur hexafluoride?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Redundant) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:04PM
Interesting thoughts. China grew a plant on the Moon. But it died when night came -- much too cold there at night. Need some of that good old Global Warming!!
(Score: 2) by fyngyrz on Tuesday February 19 2019, @04:40PM
Because there's no oxidizer there.
--
Are you drunk?
☐ Yes
☐ No
✓