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Every reduction in solar cost makes it more efficient to buy panels on earth. The installation cost for space is so much more than the installation cost for ea
by jvanderbot 3y ago
Every reduction in solar cost makes it more efficient to buy panels on earth.
The installation cost for space is so much more than the installation cost for earth. Even at 10x the cost, which is orders of magnitude off, what do we have?
We have a system in space at 10 the cost that needs a solar array sized receiving plant (double the cost) and has transmission losses (increase size of space and ground installations to offset).
It would have to be nearly the same cost or cheaper to install in space than on a field in, say, Kansas. Its a ludicrous proposition.
Anyway, this guy said it better: https://caseyhandmer.wordpress.com/2019/08/20/space-based-solar-power-is-not-a-thing/ https://caseyhandmer.wordpress.com/2019/08/20/space-based-so...
- JoeAltmaier 3y agoThose are the numbers that are changing. Transmission losses have become fairly tiny. The 'ludicrous proposition' is similar to the turn-of-the-century folk who yelled 'get a horse!'
- jvanderbot 3y agoWell, I'm open to new numbers. I'll have to re-read TFA and dive deeper at some point. But last time I checked, and last time I asked smarter people than me what they thought, it was quite a ways off.
- cykros 3y ago[flagged]