Bring me sunshine: the potential of space-based solar power
Imagine launching satellites into space covered in photovoltaic panels that would soak up sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. Wouldn’t it be great if you could turn this energy into microwaves and beam them to Earth, where they would be collected and converted into electricity for the grid. The result: energy on tap 24 hours a day without needing to cover the countryside with solar farms and wind turbines. It sounds crazy, but there are people out there trying to make “space-based solar power” work, as Jon Cartwright reports.
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