Could Solar Panels in Space Solve all Our Energy Needs?

We need more solutions for our energy needs, and one idea is straight out of science fiction: Solar panels, in space.

Hosted by: Hank Green

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[kelpsie]

The specific Isaac Asimov story referenced here is Reason. It's a short story, contained in I, Robot.
Note: I, Robot is nothing like the movie, and is instead a collection of somewhat interconnected short stories. It's very good, go read it!

[ger]

Like the "Microwave Energy" power plant from SimCity 2000, that beams down energy from space, but sometimes the beam strays and fries part of your city

[p]

"Entire array of lasers pointed at earth"..what ever could go wrong?

[MeterLP]

Giant orbital lasers. This is so much Bond villain style, I love it!

[carpemkarzi]

And oddly enough, even though he did not come up with the concept Sci Fi writer Arthur C Clarke popularized geosynchronous orbits in a paper..hence the term Clarke Orbits….science fiction writers still helping to forge our future.

[christopherg]

"What is it with humans and lasers!?"
"It is not just us - cats like them too!"
- Humans are space orks

[forky]

80, 000 tonnes would be quite a lot more than “several” rocket launches! We’re talking something like 1300 falcon heavy launches, even still that’s only LEO, not anywhere near the altitude for geosynchronous orbit.

[NewMessage]

Well. My little hand crank radio doesn't seem so neat anymore.

[deawinter]

Anyone else surprised that 87% of people apparently DO have access to reliable electricity? That’s honestly much better than I would have guessed.

[gemmel]

Don't imagine many countries will be keen for what could be a death ray floating over their heads.

[ZeLoShady]

Sounds like we could do a lot in space if we build a space base somewhere. Just move the rocket factory into space and our sci-fi dreams will become reality!

[Just_A_Dude]

Everyone needs to stop hating on nuclear power. It's an order of magnitude safer than hydroelectric, even accounting for the old disasters, and modern reactor designs are far safer than those were. It's the best interim power source until we can go fully green.

[dinostorion]

Not to mention the fear of any space debris ruining this plan

[kirkw]

This seems like the perfect secondary use for a space elevator as a collector for the geosynchronous satellites and a means to convey the electricity back down to earths surface by more conventional and efficient means. Either way it's not going to happen very soon though.

[MartianInAHumansBody]

My understanding is that the conversion from photon -> panel -> electron -> microwave -> electron, basically negates the savings a space based solar collector gets. So you are still better off dealing with that 30% atmospheric hit, and save the time/cost/effort and just build more ground based solar. Lower latitudes are indeed better to collect, but distributed power storage can still help to shift it around, given enough scale.

[deltacx]

Fusion looks to be closer than ever so we should be able to use it before we run into energy issues. Or all those nuclear power plants that people keep shutting down.

[militantpacifist]

This reminds me of that one Futurama episode.

[Peds]

I wondered, if these systems are taking energy that wouldn't normally get through or atmosphere and beaming it down... Would that have additional heat issues for our atmosphere? I assume it'd be balanced by the lack of fossil fuels etc?

[greenisnotacreativecolour]

If we could cover an insignificant portion of hot desert first with current technology though... Off the ground, so they also provide shade for whatever wants it. Perhaps storing excess energy as GPE by lifting stuff during the day and tapping it as it falls back down overnight? Let's face it, more than enough sunlight hits the surface of earth.

[thespicemelange.]

So I guess Dr Evil wasn't too far off with his idea of "lasers"....