Japan Plans $21 Billion Solar Space Post to Power 294,000 Homes

Japan Plans $21 Billion Solar Space Post to Power 294,000 Homes

The concept of space-based solar power was introduced way back in 1968, but it’s only recently that the world has latched on to the idea. Japan is definitely getting in on the action with its latest spacey plan – a $21 billion solar-powered generator in the heavens to produce one gigawatt of energy, or enough to power 294,000 homes. The Japanese government announced the plan back in June, but there has been an important new development – Mitsubishi Electric Corp. and industrial design company IHI Corp. are now teaming up in the race to develop new technology within four years that can beam electricity back to Earth without the use of cables.

I wrote an article about this for the toronto star in the fall of 1990, while following the International Space University, that year hosted at York University. I wanted to attend the summer program, but I couldn’t afford the $10k tuition. But I went to the newspaper and got press credentials, so I could attend all the classes I wanted free of charge.

I’m a big fan of the science of Solar Power Satellites, based on the research I did then, particularly if they’re built in space from materials manufactured in space. I hope they have the obvious bugs worked out, because if they do, it really will be the closest thing to free power imaginable.

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Mirrored from Lemmingworks.