The Technology
The system comprises a kilometre scale satellite in a high earth orbit. It features lightweight solar panels and a system of mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto the panels. The electricity generated is converted into high frequency radio waves, and the power is beamed to a receiving antenna at a fixed point on the ground below.
How it Works
Space Based Solar Power technology elements and enablers
The system collects the solar energy and transmits it down to earth. A 2GW satellite weighs 2,000 tonnes, is 1.7km in diameter and its unique architecture allows it to operate in a range of orbits, including Geosynchronous, at 36,000 km, or Highly Elliptical Orbits. This gives good operational utility for a range of energy markets and regions on earth.
The technology of power beaming with high efficiency is well established and demonstrated at 30kW scale in terrestrial trials. A closed loop control system provides pointing accuracy and security.
Our development roadmap demonstrates successive increases in Wireless Power Beaming power levels and distance, safety and control.
The ‘rectenna’ is a large but sparse net-like structure holding the small dipoles which convert the microwave energy into electricity.
It is typically several kilometres in diameter, though the area is just 8% of a wind farm delivering equivalent energy output, and could be sited offshore adjacent to wind farms.
The system will utilise fully reusable heavy lift earth to orbit space transportation, which is being developed and delivered by several global companies. The assembly of the structure in space will be enabled by advances in autonomous robotic systems, which is a rapidly developing sector.
Long seen as technically viable, recent advances in reusable launch systems, autonomous robotics, and high performance photovoltaics have dramatically cut the cost of Space Based Solar Power.
The latest Solar Power Satellite concepts such as CASSIOPeiA are lower in mass (for lower launch costs), and use highly modular architecture, leading to manufacturing cost reductions and resilience to failures.
Of the Solar Power Satellite concepts which can deliver 24/7 baseload power, the most capable is CASSIOPeiA. Conceived by the UK company IECL it has patented design features which offer strong economic and operational benefits, with a best-in-class specific power predicted to be 1 kW/kg.
This results in a low Levelised Cost of Electricity competitive with intermittent terrestrial renewables.
