To: thackney
http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/library/final-sbsp-interim-assessment-release-01.pdf from page 8 of the pdf (page 6 of the document) A single kilometer‐wide band of geosynchronous earth orbit experiences enough solar flux in one year (approximately 212 terawatt‐years) to nearly equal the amount of energy contained within all known recoverable conventional oil reserves on Earth today (approximately 250 TW‐yrs). Pg 11 of the pdf (pg 7 of the document) Typical reference designs involved a satellite in geostationary orbit, several kilometers on a side, that used photovoltaic arrays to capture the sunlight, then convert it into radio frequencies of 2.45 or 5.8 GHz where atmospheric transmission is very high, that were then beamed toward a reference signal on the Earth at intensities approximately 1/6th of noon sunlight. The beam was then received by a rectifying antenna and converted into electricity for the grid, delivering 5‐10 gigawatts of electric power.
To: hippyhater
7,641,193 Trillion Btu / 3412 Btu per kWH = 2,239 Trillion kWH
= 2,239 Million MegaWH
= 2,239 Thousand GigaWH
= 2,239 TerraWH
I think they are still way off.
But not a single satellite but a continuous band of solar arrays circling the earth? Maybe 275,000 km in total length? That would get closer, with shadows and angle of incidence you would have probably a 1/3 the available power of a continuous flat array. I think they are still way off.
41 posted on
11/10/2007 7:14:35 AM PST by
thackney
(life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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