By : Franyi Sarmiento, Ph.D., Inspenet, June 14, 2022
China plans to start construction of the first solar power plant in space by 2028, two years ahead of the original schedule, according to scientists involved in the project.
The first phase of the project aims to launch a test satellite orbiting at an altitude of around 400 km to test wireless power transmission technology from space to Earth, according to the updated plan, published last week in an article in Chinese Space Science and Technology magazine.
According to the document, cited by the South China Morning Post, this satellite would convert solar energy into microwaves or lasers and direct the energy beams at various targets, including fixed locations on Earth and moving satellites.
In the plan, first drafted in 2014, the Asian giant set itself the goal of establishing a 1-megawatt solar power station in space by 2030. However, technological advances and potential military applications may have renewed Beijing’s interest in the project, said Professor Dong Shiwei of the National Key Laboratory of Space Microwave Science and Technology at the China Academy of Space Technology in Xian.
The power generated by the test satellite would initially reach 10 kilowatts, barely enough to meet the needs of a few households, but the technology could be significantly scaled up to become “an effective contributor to achieving carbon neutrality goals,” according to Dong. .
Unlike terrestrial renewable energy sources, orbiting solar power plants could deliver power during the day and night, at any time of the year and regardless of weather conditions.
However, directing high-powered microwaves over significant distances would require a huge antenna, potentially thousands of meters long, while solar winds, gravity, and satellite motion could interfere with power transmission—engineering challenges. that have not yet been resolved.
China is not the only country that has raised this idea. The UK has considered installing a pilot solar power plant by 2035 with its Space Based Energ’ project. Likewise, NASA developed similar plans two decades ago, but they were shelved due to the complexity and cost of the infrastructure.
This material from the Portal Actualidad RT in Spanish, was edited for clarity, style and length.
Source Actualidad RT in Spanish: https://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/432099-china-construccion-estacion-energ %C3% ADa-solar-espacio
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