Night-time Solar Power – How space solar power (SSP) works
Space solar power (SSP) is an innovative, reliable, technologically advanced way of collecting and distributing solar power from space down to earth. A SSP system is comprised of a solar power satellite, or powersat, which is a satellite made up of a number of modules outfitted with light weight photovoltaic solar panels that are as thin as aluminum foil and are printed on one-micron thin titanium.
These modules are clustered together in groups of 300 or more and are launched into geosynchronous orbit. This orbit, at an altitude of 22,236 miles, allows the powersat to collect solar rays 24/7 at levels that 5 to 25 times stronger than on the earth�s surface and beam them down to earth via wireless power transmission. PowerSat�s patented BrightStar technology allows for electronic coupling of hundreds of smaller satellites to team up to produce a very powerful transmission signal. The power signal is collected by a receiving station is a net-like structure elevated on utility poles. Each module, or net, of the receiving station consists of 2 poles supporting a receiving net that is 100 m long by 10 m tall and a 2,500mw receiving station consists of about 10,360 nets. The receiving station collects the power, which is then fed into a conditioning station and put directly onto the local power grid.
How much energy does it generate? What is that comparable to?
Powersats are comparable to very large ground based energy plants in that they will produce a minimum of 2,500MWs. One powersat satellite is made up of a cluster of approximately 300 PV modules. One of the limiting factors of the powersat is the size and capacity of the receiving station. Typical receiving stations producing 2,500MW to power a city will cover 4-10sq mi. The physical size of receiving stations is determined by the allowable power density in the beam which is regulated by the FCC.
Powersats can provide baseload power similar to that of a traditional coal or a nuclear powered plant, but without any of the emissions problems or the need to tap into limited resources. Unlike other sources of renewable energy, space solar power is not limited by geography, climate or even time of day. Clean, renewable, baseload power can be fed directly onto the grid 24/7.
Powersats have the unique ability to transmit power from one satellite source to multiple receiving stations with the simple flip of a switch, allowing for an easy distribution of energy across geographic regions. This advantage means that powersats can provide continuous, baseload power in areas where traditional energy sources are hard to site, and in areas where demand is significant. |
Safe, long-term production