Satellite beams solar power to Earth for first time - The Times
Satellite beams solar power to Earth for first time
SCIENCE
The UK is among several countries exploring the feasibility of building solar power plants in space
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Solar energy has been harvested in space and beamed back to Earth for the first time.
The experiment may have provided an early glimpse of a new type of power station — a solar array that is placed in orbit where it is constantly bathed in sunlight, no matter the weather on Earth or the time of day.
The energy was gathered by a solar panel fixed to a satellite and was transmitted, via microwaves, to a receiver on the satellite and to a laboratory rooftop in California. Only a tiny amount of power — 200 milliwatts — was sent but researchers believe that the results mark an important proof of principle.
The UK is among several countries exploring the feasibility of building solar power
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: solar
Declining costs and government encouragement have resulted in a rapid increase in solar energy production in the United States over the past 10 years, although solar’s share remains small: 1.6 percent of all electricity generation in 2018. That rapid growth is projected to continue.