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TIL space-based solar power beamed to earth is in the experimental phase. For some reason I thought it was still just speculative. https://www.space.com/x-37b-

TIL space-based solar power beamed to earth is in the experimental phase. For some reason I thought it was still just speculative. https://www.space.com/x-37b-space-plane-solar-power-beaming https://www.space.com/x-37b-space-plane-solar-power-beaming

vkou 4y ago
Why would anyone do this when solar farms produce electricity at too cheap to meter rates?
- heavyset_go 4y ago
  You could reflect light from the sun to places on Earth that are experiencing night.
  - iancmceachern 4y ago
    Exactly, it's always sunny in space. Also, a big part of the inefficiency in conventional power collection (in the case of solar) is transmission losses in the power lines. This converts light directly into microwave energy that can then be transmitted without power lines. That's a game hanger, just like wifi is to ethernet
    - tehbeard 4y ago
      Given how stodgy and variable WiFi tends to be, I'll stick with the Neanderthal way of copper lines.
      - iancmceachern 4y ago
        Wifi is a marvel of modern technology. It's neither stodgy or variable. Maybe upgrade your stuff?
        undersuit 4y ago
        And it's becoming an obsolete idea. USB-C, 12VHPWR(the new power spec for NVIDIA gpus), and Tesla charging ports have communication protocols built-in to them to control power flow. More future power connectors are going to move away from the passive AC or DC flows we have now to dynamic connections. The first generation of space power delivery is probably going to be passive as well, maybe a low power echo signal for target acquisition, but not complicated protocols to negotiate power or data flows.
    - jonas21 4y ago
      High voltage power lines have losses of 0.5% to 1% per 100 miles. Beaming power from space microwaves would have a total loss of 40-60%. And that doesn't include the cost (both money and carbon) of launching all the collection and transmission equipment into space in the first place.
      - scarier 4y ago
        If we're talking military logistics, that may well still win out on efficiency over current methods. Even if it doesn't, it still has enough potential advantages to be game-changing.
      - undersuit 4y ago
        Is efficiency that important? It's not like were delivering the photons to the solar panels like we use trains to deliver coal to power stations.
      - iancmceachern 4y ago
        High voltage power lines also cost $800k-$2mil per mile just to construct. https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/10/11/cost-to-bury-california-fire-prone-power-lines-why-not/3937653002/#:~:text=It%20costs%20about%20%243%20million,Facts%20About%20Undergrounding%20Power%20Lines https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/10/11/....
- scatters 4y ago
  The military are extremely interested in being able to power expeditionary bases without having to truck in diesel. It would be a game changer to logistics.
- woleium 4y ago
  because it's also a weapon, like a giant sized version of a kid with a magnifying glass.
  - postalrat 4y ago
    Couldn't you just reflect it back?
    - woleium 4y ago
      not really, you can strike nearly half the planet in half a second (or however fast your mirror actuators are) so unless you put up reflectors everywhere...
dang 4y ago
Recent thread on that: Beaming solar energy from space - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438372 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438372 - Nov 2022 (60 comments) and sundry others: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33444768 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33444768

vkou 4y ago

Why would anyone do this when solar farms produce electricity at too cheap to meter rates?

heavyset_go 4y ago
You could reflect light from the sun to places on Earth that are experiencing night.
- iancmceachern 4y ago
  Exactly, it's always sunny in space. Also, a big part of the inefficiency in conventional power collection (in the case of solar) is transmission losses in the power lines. This converts light directly into microwave energy that can then be transmitted without power lines. That's a game hanger, just like wifi is to ethernet
  - tehbeard 4y ago
    Given how stodgy and variable WiFi tends to be, I'll stick with the Neanderthal way of copper lines.
    - iancmceachern 4y ago
      Wifi is a marvel of modern technology. It's neither stodgy or variable. Maybe upgrade your stuff?
      - undersuit 4y ago
        And it's becoming an obsolete idea. USB-C, 12VHPWR(the new power spec for NVIDIA gpus), and Tesla charging ports have communication protocols built-in to them to control power flow. More future power connectors are going to move away from the passive AC or DC flows we have now to dynamic connections. The first generation of space power delivery is probably going to be passive as well, maybe a low power echo signal for target acquisition, but not complicated protocols to negotiate power or data flows.
  - jonas21 4y ago
    High voltage power lines have losses of 0.5% to 1% per 100 miles. Beaming power from space microwaves would have a total loss of 40-60%. And that doesn't include the cost (both money and carbon) of launching all the collection and transmission equipment into space in the first place.
    - scarier 4y ago
      If we're talking military logistics, that may well still win out on efficiency over current methods. Even if it doesn't, it still has enough potential advantages to be game-changing.
    - undersuit 4y ago
      Is efficiency that important? It's not like were delivering the photons to the solar panels like we use trains to deliver coal to power stations.
    - iancmceachern 4y ago
      High voltage power lines also cost $800k-$2mil per mile just to construct. https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/10/11/cost-to-bury-california-fire-prone-power-lines-why-not/3937653002/#:~:text=It%20costs%20about%20%243%20million,Facts%20About%20Undergrounding%20Power%20Lines https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2019/10/11/....
scatters 4y ago
The military are extremely interested in being able to power expeditionary bases without having to truck in diesel. It would be a game changer to logistics.
woleium 4y ago
because it's also a weapon, like a giant sized version of a kid with a magnifying glass.
- postalrat 4y ago
  Couldn't you just reflect it back?
  - woleium 4y ago
    not really, you can strike nearly half the planet in half a second (or however fast your mirror actuators are) so unless you put up reflectors everywhere...

dang 4y ago

Recent thread on that: Beaming solar energy from space - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438372 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33438372 - Nov 2022 (60 comments) and sundry others: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33444768 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33444768