China preparing solar farms in Space

Ecocrops international reports that the Stations would orbit 22,000 miles from Earth and would weigh over 1,000 tons, that is 600 tons more than the International Space Station.  They plan to deploy small and medium stations between 2021 and 2025 and a megawatt level satellite in 2030.

Space-based solar power has two major advantages over Earth-based solar power:  due to the orbit they can collect energy 24 hours a day, and they collect more energy as the sunlight is not filtered by the Earth’s atmosphere.

Under the plans, huge satellites would be put into orbit to collect the sunlight with huge solar rays.  Once the energy is collected it would be sent back to receiving stations on earth as microwaves.  On Earth, these microwaves would be converted to electricity and fed into the grid.

Due to the huge size of the satellites, the Chinese are proposing to fabricate with 3D printer technology and then assemble in the Earth orbit with robots.

Pang Zhihao, a researcher from the China Academy of Space Technology Corporation, described it as “an inexhaustible source of renewable energy for humans.” With China’s space agency also sending probes to the far side of the moon, it could also provide green energy for its space-exploring robots.

James Grainger of EcoCrops International commented that to go to a zero carbon economy would require a major effort on all fronts of the renewable mix.  With solar, wind, biomass and wood pellets all playing a major part.

www.ecocropsinternational.com