Scientists say China solar space station may create more energy than all Earth’s oil

[Jack Aylmer]

CHINA IS BUILDING A MASSIVE SOLAR POWER SPACE STATION-

WHICH ITS DEVELOPERS CLAIM WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT MORE ENERGY ANNUALLY THAN ALL THE OIL ON EARTH COULD CREATE.

THE MORE THAN HALF A MILE LONG SOLAR ARRAY WILL BE SITUATED OVER 22,000 MILES ABOVE OUR PLANET- 

AND AIMS TO BEAM CONSTANT POWER BACK DOWN TO EARTH VIA MICROWAVES.

SPACE-BASED SOLAR POWER TECHNOLOGIES HAVE BEEN CONCEPTUALIZED TO OVERCOME LIMITATIONS OF TERRESTRIAL SOLAR INFRASTRUCTURE-

SUCH AS CLOUD COVER AND ATMOSPHERIC ABSORPTION.

SOLAR ENERGY IN SPACE IS REPORTEDLY 10 TIMES MORE INTENSE THAN AT EARTH’S SURFACE.

HOWEVER, THE CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE-SCALE SYSTEMS TO ACQUIRE THAT POWER HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN HINDERED BY THE NEED FOR NUMEROUS LAUNCHES.

TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, CHINESE SCIENTISTS ARE DEVELOPING REUSABLE HEAVY-LIFT ROCKETS.

CAPABLE OF CARRYING AT LEAST 150 TONS WORTH OF WEIGHT OUT OF OUR ATMOSPHERE-

THESE NEW ROCKETS INTEND TO CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF LAUNCHES NEEDED TO BUILD OUT THIS SOLAR SPACE STATION.

THE PROJECT’S LEAD SCIENTIST HAS COMPARED THEIR PLAN TO HAVING ANOTHER THREE GORGES DAM ABOVE OUR EARTH-

WHICH AS THE WORLD’S LARGEST HYDROELECTRIC FACILITY, CAN PRODUCE ENOUGH ENERGY FOR NEARLY 9.5 MILLION HOMES EVERY YEAR.

FOR MORE STORIES ABOUT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ENERGY SECTOR FROM AROUND THE WORLD, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND SIGN UP FOR ALERTS FROM ME- JACK AYLMER.