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Instead of doing the old-fashioned solar power thing, and capturing the sun’s rays as they hit the Earth’s surface, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) ^[5] and Osaka University Institute of Laser Engineering is bolding going where no space station has ever gone before – in terms of solar power. Pioneering scientists at Jaxa have found a way to harness solar power even closer to the source- from outer space! The Space Solar Power System (SSPS) ^[6] technology would capture solar rays in space and transport the energy to be used here on the ground. A single unit placed in space would generate enough energy to power 500,000 homes!

Sound like a green version of Star Trek? It’s actually quite simple: the space solar ray capturing system consists of a solar power satellite (SPS) and ground facilities to exploit power from the SPS via laser beam. The SPS orbits the Earth and gathers solar energy; it is then transmitted to a terrestrial power station. The satellite would be launched into stationary orbit 22,400 miles above the equator that would collect solar energy and convert it to a laser beam and send it to the earth-based station.

Specialized plates mounted on the satellite would be made from a ceramic material containing chromium and neodymium- the former absorbs the sunlight and the latter translates sunlight to laser light with a very high efficiency. The new technology promises 42% solar-to-laser energy conversion efficiency.

The major advantage of this system is that it would use solar energy 24 hours a day, and would not depend only on sunny days as is the case with earth-based solar power systems. Testing would start this week, on February 20th, and the project is scheduled to be completed in 2030.

Via Pink Tentacle ^[6]

+ Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ^[5]