The idea of beaming solar power down to Earth from orbiting solar farms is an alluring one. Space solar projects could deliver clean kilowatts 24/7, anywhere on Earth, any time, regardless of the weather — if they happen. Nevertheless, the technology pieces are beginning to fall into place, and the economic case is beginning to materialize, too.
Reducing The Cost Of Space Solar Panels
Solar cells are nothing new to the space field, of course. NASA launched the first solar-powered satellite back in 1958, and solar power has been a fixture in space exploration ever since.
The key issue for orbiting photovoltaic systems is the cost of the solar panels. The high tech solar panels used in space applications are costly, and launching them up into space is also costly. Those costs have to come…
Read the full article originally published at cleantechnica.com.