Energy Management Principle and Practice - Solar Power News
| Dublin Institute of TechnologyCollege of Engineering & Built Environment | | Energy Principles and PracticeEnergy New 13th November:“Space-based Solar Power” | |
| | | | | | |
Space Based Solar Power – An Answer To The Worlds Energy Demand
The global demand for energy has been rising consistently over the last century and it is predicted to rise by another 50% by 2030. This raises the question of whether it will be possible to meet this global energy demands of the future as the pool for non-renewable resources diminish. There is also the concern that this diminishing pool will lead to conflict between countries for control of the resources, not to mention the increased prices of energy this would cause. Renewable energy generation is considered to be the long term solution to global energy demand. One such proposed solution is Space Based Solar Power (SBSP).
Solar power is a well established source of renewable energy that converts sunlight into energy using photovoltaic panels. This renewable energy source is used on a commercial scale around the world. A major disadvantage of solar power is that electricity can only be generated when there is sunlight. SBSP looks to enhance the advantages of solar power while also imitating some of its negative attributes. SBSP centers on the concept of placing a satellite in orbit above the earth where it converts the sun’s energy into electricity which is then transmitted back to earth and added to the energy grid. One of the advantages of SBSP is that the technologies required to make it possible are already developed and it is matter of combining them. Space exploration has been underway for many decades and the technology required is tried and tested, the same can be said for solar power generation. The final element to this process is getting the energy back to earth; this has also been in use for many years in the telecommunications industry
| | | | | | |
Space Based Solar Power – An Answer To The Worlds Energy Demand
The global demand for energy has been rising consistently over the last century and it is predicted to rise by another 50% by 2030. This raises the question of whether it will be possible to meet this global energy demands of the future as the pool for non-renewable resources diminish. There is also the concern that this diminishing pool will lead to conflict between countries for control of the resources, not to mention the increased prices of energy this would cause. Renewable energy generation is considered to be the long term solution to global energy demand. One such proposed solution is Space Based Solar Power (SBSP).
Solar power is a well established source of renewable energy that converts sunlight into energy using photovoltaic panels. This renewable energy source is used on a commercial scale around the world. A major disadvantage of solar power is that electricity can only be generated when there is sunlight. SBSP looks to enhance the advantages of solar power while also imitating some of its negative attributes. SBSP centers on the concept of placing a satellite in orbit above the earth where it converts the sun’s energy into electricity which is then transmitted back to earth and added to the energy grid. One of the advantages of SBSP is that the technologies required to make it possible are already developed and it is matter of combining them. Space exploration has been underway for many decades and the technology required is tried and tested, the same can be said for solar power generation. The final element to this process is getting the energy back to earth; this has also been in use for many years in the telecommunications industry
References: Energy Digital June 2012. 2012. Energy Digital June 2012. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.energydigital.com/magazines/11132. [Accessed 11 November 2012]. BBC NEWS - Global energy guide. 2012. BBC NEWS - Global energy guide. [ONLINE] Available at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/06/global_energy/html/introduction.stm. [Accessed 11 November 2012]. Space Energy | A Space Based Solar Power Company SBSP. 2012. Space Energy | A Space Based Solar Power Company SBSP. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.spaceenergy.com/. [Accessed 11 November 2012]. IEA - Home. 2012. IEA - Home. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.iea.org/. [Accessed 11 November 2012]. Space Solar Power - Library. 2012. Space Solar Power - Library. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.nss.org/settlement/ssp/library/index.htm. [Accessed 11 November 2012]. Space Solar Power Looks For Shortcuts . 2012. Space Solar Power Looks For Shortcuts . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_10_22_2012_p21-507017.xml. [Accessed 11 November 2012].