Next-Generation Solar Cells Could Put Power Stations In Space-(and Wahhabists with heads in sand)

SPACE DAILY.COM ^ | January 8, 2003 | Staff

[CHARLITE]

Someday, large-scale solar power stations in space could beam electricity to the surface of the moon, the earth and other planets, decreasing our dependence on a dwindling fossil-fuel supply. Scientists at Rochester Institute of Technology are developing the next generation of solar cells, advancing the technology that could put a solar power system into earth's orbit.

The National Science Foundation recently awarded a three-year, $200,000 grant to Ryne Raffaelle and Thomas Gennett, co-directors of RIT's NanoPower Research Laboratory, to develop nanomaterials--no bigger than a billionth of a meter--in support of NASA's space solar power program.

The notion of space solar power--discounted as farfetched and silly after the energy crunch of the 1970s--never completely went away. Some scientists and other visionaries remained intrigued by the idea of orbiting, football-field sized "blankets" of solar cells that could generate tremendous amounts of power. NASA's program is revisiting the idea, pushing the latest technology as far as it will go.

Raffaelle and Gennett are working with scientists from the Ohio Aerospace Institute and Phoenix Innovations Inc. to develop a new-and-improved solar cell that is light, thin and highly efficient. This solar cell, a thin-film device, will sandwich tiny granules of semi-conductor material, known as Quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes.

"In order to put football-field sized arrays in space, they need to be lightweight and flexible, and able to withstand the rigors of space," Raffaelle says. "Today's technology isn't good enough, but with the theoretical possibilities offered by nanomaterials it could become a reality."

Gennett adds: "The types of solar cells that we are working to develop are a clear departure from even the most advanced crystalline solar cells used in the space industry today. If we are successful it will result in a complete paradigm shift in space solar power generation."

[CHARLITE]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1390355/posts?page=15#15

"Bright Future for Solar Power Satellites" - posted earlier today.

[CHARLITE]

See a great resource, "The SSP Monitor"

A treasure house of information on space based solar energy sources, research and development.

http://www.wronkiewicz.net/ssp/news.php

[DTogo]

And when this technology becomes feasible some environmentalist whackos will protest it because a few migratory birds might get fried by the electro-beam, or some Halliburton/Carlyle subsidiary might be involved. Then we'll be back to square one: it's all Bush's fault.

[Little_shoe]

Yea well if this ever comes to fruition I would definately be like screw you were doing this anyway. If you want to commune with nature, heres a stone knife now go commune....

[seastay]

A solar collector on the ground using a steam turbine could also be very efficient and cost effictive;


http://engnet.anu.edu.au/DEpeople/Keith.Lovegrove/STG/facilities.html

[CHARLITE]

Fantastic website.

Thank you for the information!

Char :)

[Trajan88]

Good info.; thanks for the post.

As a bonus --> the Middle East will go back to being a simple sand pit no one will give a damn about... a very good thing.

Trajan88

[Wilhelm Tell]

The enviro extremists and the leftists in general would have a fit if cheap electricity became available to everyone on earth. I can imagine the far left joining forces with Middle Eastern terrorists to sabotage it. The left will also try to persuade people in poor countries that cheap, clean electricity is a form of "imperialism."

[DWPittelli]

"Someday, large-scale solar power stations in space could beam electricity to the surface of the moon, the earth and other planet."

This is insane.

Earth: High energy beams, and launch to orbit costs, to get maybe 4 times as much energy per square foot as one could get in any desert? We're more likely to transmit the energy in superconducting wires from land-based (desert) solar stations, not that that's feasible either.

Moon: No atmosphere, so moon can already get full strength of sun half the time (month-long "day"), without transmission losses.

Other planets: most absurd of all. These beams will be so compact and well-aimed that they'll outshine the sun, without frying things, at distances of 50 million miles plus?

[Rockingham]

The "Wow" factor of massive solar arrays beaming energy from space to the earth makes this attractive, but the economic and business case is implausible. Solar cells in space would be highly efficient at power generation, but the costs of lift to orbit, maintenance, transmission, and distribution also have to be met. Slapping solar cells on rooftops is easier, cheaper, and more likely to be cost effective. Although I have to admit that I like the idea of the US being able to microwave enemy ICBMs in flight or large swaths of hostile nations on a moments notice.

[Wiz]

And when this technology becomes feasible some environmentalist whackos will protest it because a few migratory birds might get fried by the electro-beam

Hey! Free Kentucky Fried Chickens from the sky!