Space Based Solar Power

S. MAHAMMAD ANSAR
ECE DEPT
SVIST COLLEGE
KADAPA
 Orbiting satellites can be exposed to a constantly high
degree of solar radiation, generally for 24 hours per
Abstract day, whereas earth surface solar panels currently
collect power for an average of 29% of the day.
The study presents Space Based Solar Power (SBSP), an • Power can be quickly redirected directly to areas that
emerging technology which is under a heavy research phase. need it most. A collecting satellite can direct power on
Here geosynchronous satellites are used for collecting demand to different surface locations based on
sunlight, domesticate it to produce solar power and geographical base load or peak load power needs.
transmitting the generated power back to Earth using Wireless Typical contracts would be for base load, continuous
power transmission (WPT), safely and reliably. The advantage power, since peaking power is ephemeral.
of using solar cells in space is the 24 hour availability of • With very large scale implementations, especially at
sunlight. Also the urgency of finding an alternative energy lower altitudes, it potentially can reduce incoming solar
source due to the depleting energy resources on earth calls for radiation reaching earth's surface. This would be
SBSP. Here we study the concept of Solar Power Satellites desirable for counteracting the effects of global
(SPS), investigate the feasibility of implementation, the overall warming.
architecture & the underlying components. The results
highlight the performance of this system as an environment Compared to natural gas, oil, coal plants and ethanol, space
friendly, low-loss and large-scale method of energy transfer. based solar power does not result into by-products like
greenhouse gases. Also, like nuclear power plants, space
Keywords: Space Based Solar Power, Wireless power solar power will not produce hazardous waste, which needs
transmission, Alternative energy (solar) to be stored and guarded for hundreds of years. The
following figure also shows that in future the cost of
INTRODUCTION producing electricity using coal will go on increasing.
Whereas, that using Solar Satellites, if implemented, will
keep reducing over the years.
The search for "inexhaustible" energy resources to satisfy
long-term needs is a high priority undertaking which has been
13
recognized by the government and the public alike. Also in a LITERATURE REVIEW
recent survey conducted on consumption of the existing Oil
reserves on earth revealed shocking facts that if we keep Two basic methods of conversion have been studied.
consuming oil at the current rate, the oil wells might dry up Most analyses of SBSP have focused on photovoltaic
within the next 65 years. This situation certainly demands for conversion using solar cells that directly convert sunlight
an alternative energy source for future generations. The into electricity. Solar dynamic uses mirrors to concentrate
solution to these difficulties in producing solar power. Solar light on a boiler. If photovoltaic, it can use planar arrays
industry is a 40 billion dollar a year market, producing or concentrating collectors. The cells can be made of
gigawatts of power which is unfortunately less than 1/10th of silicon, gallium arsenide, klystron, magnetron, TWT etc.
1% of the energy we currently use and demand. The solution And can vary in size, thickness, mass, construction, and
to this demand is the help of a Solar Power Satellites performance. Wireless power transmission was proposed
(SPS) .The solar power satellites are an integral part of Space early on as a means to transfer energy from collection to
Based Solar Power (SBSP) .The SPS are illuminated by the the Earth's surface, using either microwave or laser
Sun for 99% of the time in a year except for a short duration radiation at a variety of frequencies.
during equinox.
a) Microwave power transmission:

Potentials

The SBSP concept is prepossessing because space has

several advantages over the Earth's surface for the
collection of solar power:
• Collecting surfaces could receive much more intense
sunlight, owing to the lack of interferences by
atmospheric gasses, clouds, dust and other weather
conditions. Therefore, the intensity in orbit is
approximately 144% of the maximum attainable
intensity on Earth's surface.
• A satellite could be illuminated over 99% of the time
as it is always solar noon in space and full sun, and be
in Earth's shadow a maximum of only 72 minutes per
night at the spring and fall equinoxes at local midnight.
 14

nanometers), power is transmitted by converting electricity

into a laser beam that is then directed at a photovoltaic cell.
The power is beamed at a receiver that is then converted to
electrical energy. At the receiver, special photovoltaic laser
power converters which are optimized for monochromatic
light conversion are used. This is generally known as 'power
beaming.

c) Orbital location:

Fig 1: Microwave concept satellite Fig 3: Different Orbits

Power transmission via radio waves is more directional, The main advantage of installing a space power station in
allowing long-distance power beaming, geostationary orbit is that the antenna geometry stays constant,
with shorter wavelengths of electromagnetic and so keeping the antennas lined up is simpler. Another
radiation, typically in the may be used to convert the advantage is that nearly continuous power transmission is
microwave energy back into electricity. Rectenna gives immediately available as soon as the first space power station
efficiencies of more than 95% have been realized. Power is placed in orbit; other space-based power stations have much
beaming using microwaves has been proposed for the longer start-up times before they are producing nearly
transmission from orbiting to Earth. continuous power. A collection of LEO space power stations
has been proposed as a precursor to GEO space-based solar
b) Laser power beaming: power. The idea of the Solar Power Satellite energy system is
placing giant satellites, with wide arrays of solar cells
embedded on them, 35,780km above the Earth's surface in the
geosynchronous orbit.

d) Earth-Based Receiver:
Microwave broadcasts from the satellite would give about
85% efficiency. With a conventional microwave antenna, the
reception efficiency is better, but its cost and complexity is
high. Rectenna would likely be several spread kilometers
across.

Safety
Having currently a 50 year history of being able to send
Satellites into space powered by solar panel that generate that
electricity converted a radio wave and beam it back to earth
(it’s called communication satellite industries) and as result of
that form the last 50 years is that the physics of wireless power
transmission is very well understood, their welldocumented
especially.
Impacts on Environment and Biodiversity: Wireless power
Fig 2: Laser beaming satellite
transmission through SPS has no major impacts on
Environment or life on Earth. Studies reveal that the
In the case of electromagnetic radiation closer to the visible
microwave radiations used are not higher than that
region of the spectrum (tens of micrometers to tens of
experienced while opening a kitchen microwave oven. The
microwave radiations are well within the prescribed safety
guidelines. Thus SPS might provide a large scale, clean, green
and efficient source of power.
The Real Promise of Space-Based-Solar-Power

Technology that has the ability to transfer energy on

demand anywhere on earth in real time as its needed 24
hours a day, which no other energy source can promise.
Also the World Govts, NGOs, all understand that one of
the fastest ways to take people out of poverty in this
developing world is to give them access to electricity, this
is why The World Bank have made it one of their
mandates to make rural electrification one of the high
priorities. The challenges is that most of these areas that
are affected the most cannot get on the grid, here SBSP
could actually enable rural electrification like no other
form of electricity.
If focused on current water crisis the implications of that
are that with receding glaciers and falling water tables we
know that fresh waters are going to be a big issue as we
face it in the coming years ahead now, here SBSP can
help as most of the Govts that have access on costal lines 15
like India are embarking on desalination programmes,
such desalination plants need huge amounts of energy that
can be fulfilled. CONCLUSION

Economic Benefits From the above considerations it can be inferred that SBSP
Creation of about a quarter of a million jobs that are likely can prove to be a promising alternative to fossil fuels.We also
to be generated in India alone at a time where came across the fact that the losses in Wireless power transfer
unemployment is the highest for nearly a quarter of a are much less compared to the transmission lines.
century now. Microwave Power Transmission (MPT) also has no harmful
effect on the biodiversity and the environment on the Earth.
But the major hurdle in the implementation of Solar Power
Drawbacks
Satellites is not technology but economic factors. A large scale
• The large cost of building a satellite and sending
research is ongoing to overcome the high cost of fabrication
into space and the large size and corresponding
and launching of these satellites.
cost of the receiving station on the ground.
• Maintenance of an earth-based solar panel is
simple, but construction and maintenance of a solar
panel in space would be done tele-robotically.
Alsoastronauts working in GEO are exposed to
unacceptably high radiation dangers.
• Panels suffer about 8 times the degradation then
they would on Earth (except at orbits that are
protected by the magnetosphere).
• Space debris is a major hazard to large objects in
space such as the SBSP systems.

Suggestions
• To solve the problem of large size, we can try
implementing Nanotechnology concept into the
solar panel to reduce the size by a great fraction
and hence if size reduces the cost of launching also References
reduces. Reduction of size reduces the maintenance
cost. [1] Solar Power Satellites, an AIAA Position Paper,
• For the astronauts that would be at GEO, Prepared by the AIAA Technical Committee on
radiation proof suits can be made by suitable Aerospace Power Systems and the AIAA Technical
materials or nanomaterial that can be programed to Committee on Space Systems.(By American Institute of
absorb or deflect the radiation. Aeronautics and Astronautics 1801 Alexander Bell Drive
• The panels, rest of the satellite parts much be Reston, VA 20191 703/264-7500).
made by a long lasting material that would reduce
the degradation time. [2] Space Based Solar Power (SBSP): An Emerging
• To protect the satellite form space debris (or) Technology (By RugvedBidkar Department of Electronics
space junk, we can implement the protective shield & Telecommunications K C College of Engineering,
like structure around the delicate parts it prevent University of Mumbai).
contact/damage.
[3] Concepts for wireless energy transmission via laser
(By Leopold Summerer, Oisin Purcell, ESA - Advanced
Concepts Team Keplerlaan 1, NL-2201AZ Noordwijk,
The Netherlands).