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: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday February 19 2019, @03:37PM (1 child)
You describe exactly why such a project the support of politicians and then act surprised why it would get national resources allocated to it.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by PiMuNu on Tuesday February 19 2019, @04:14PM
> why it would get national resources allocated to it.
I didnt RTFA - has this really got national resources allocated or is it just a puff piece in some news outlet (albeit a state owned one).
I didn't want to accept their cookies.