Alternative+Article+Three

Bobby Schneider Oil Politics: Oil Alternatives Project Article Annotation Three

Open Energy Information is an open wiki dedicated to finding and sharing information about all forms of energy and the associated technologies that are either available in today’s world or that are expected to soon be available. The website covers a wide variety of topics, ranging from solar and wind, to geothermal and smart grids, not to mention power from space, which is my personal topic of research.

In a recent article from this database, simply called “Space Solar Power (SSP),” a wide variety of information is presented, from space solar history and technology, to its potential and development in nations around the globe. After Peter Glass revealed his concept of space solar power in 1968, the world of sunsats (satellites that “optimize for efficient power transfer”) and other space research took off. Between 1978 and 1981, NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy joined forces to perform what was called a “‘reference study’” of space solar power, followed by the “‘Fresh Look’” that took place in the mid-1990’s (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 1). Japan has incredible funding for the research and development of solar power from space, including an “eighteen company Japanese consortium at the Institute of Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer (USEF),” which has acquired roughly $21 billion in funds and plans to launch test projects within the next few years (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 1). Kyoto University also has a group who is testing and further developing laser transmission capabilities with the hopes of soon having a satellite that will generate about one gigawatt of power, which will run at a price of about eight yen, or just nine cents, per kilowatt-hour, an astonishing “six times cheaper than its current cost in Japan” (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 1). Around the globe companies and governments are beginning to join this modern space race including the Chinese, Europeans, and international programs, such as the International Academy of Astronauts (IAA). In addition to national programs in America, states like California also have companies investing in space power, despite the economic and technological difficulties the industry faces. Luckily, a method to reduce costs could be for Congress to “charter a public/private corporation to create a power satellite industry” (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 1, 2). These solar satellites would be in 24/7 sunlight, function “independent of weather,” can be “dispatchable,” would release very few levels of emissions, and would not need water to work (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 2, 3). Furthermore, the rectennas on Earth would allow “90% light penetration, similar to chain link fencing,” thus allowing crops to successfully grow below it, should farmland be used (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 3).

In this article, there are three quotes in particular that stand out as important in getting the intended message across. “By collecting the solar energy at GEO, using a photovoltaic (PV) panel of a given size, SSP would collect about 9.6 times as much energy per day as the same PV panel would at an average location in the US (or Europe, Japan, or similar latitude). . .” (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 2), which explains the incredible potential energy supply that space holds. A quote which demonstrates the presently unavoidable challenges that accompany ventures in space is the need to reduce “. . . the cost of orbital space transportation to about one tenth of the lowest cost now on the space transportation horizon” (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 2). A third excerpt that helps to explain the overall technological research being done is as follows: “The key system trade-offs that must be considered to select the optimum technology are a) conversion efficiency . . . b) transmitter size and mass, c) receiver size and mass, d) transmission losses due to attenuation, diffraction, scattering, etc., and e) safety and environmental issues” (“Space Solar Power (SSP),” page 3).

This article and the information that it provides is essential to my research project focus because not only does it present the basic information such as potential, costs, and development, but it also helps me to establish a call-to-action for my project by stating government-related ideas as well. For example, noting that Congress could create a charter for the power satellite industry, as they did for the communication satellite industry, also brings about other ideas that the government could implement in an effort to encourage space power exploration including green space subsidies, research groups, and many other sources of funding and aid.

__Works Cited__:

“Space Solar Power (SSP).” __Open Energy Information__. < [] >.

__Past Work and Credentials__:

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