SPACE-BASED SOLAR POWER

MANASWI GOWRAVAJHALA

KASTURI AISHANI

11311A0439

11311A0402

ECE-C1

ECE-C1

Abstract- Space-based solar power (SBSP) is the concept of

collecting solar power in space for use on Earth. It has been
in research since the early 1970s. In space, transmission of
solar

energy

is

unaffected

by

the

filtering

effects

of atmospheric gases. Consequently, collection in orbit is

approximately 144% of the maximum attainable on Earth's
surface. SBSP designs generally include a collecting satellite
that could possibly direct power on demand to different
surface locations based on geographical baseload or peak
load power needs and some manner of wireless power
transmission. The collecting satellite would convert solar
energy

into

electrical

energy

on

board,

powering

Solar energy refers primarily to the use of solar

radiation for practical ends. Solar technologies are broadly
characterized as either passive or active depending on the way
they capture, convert and distribute sunlight. Active solar
techniques use photovoltaic panels, pumps, and fans to convert
sunlight into useful outputs. Passive solar techniques include
selecting materials with favorable thermal properties, designing
spaces that naturally circulate air, and referencing the position
of a building to the Sun. Active solar technologies increase the
supply of energy and are considered supply side technologies,
while passive solar technologies reduce the need for alternate
resources and are generally considered demand side
technologies .One such technology is SBSP.

a microwave transmitter or laser emitter, and focus its beam

toward a collector (rectenna) on the Earth's surface. The
collecting satellite would reside well outside of any
atmospheric gasses, cloud cover, wind, and other weather
events thus eliminating all weather concerns. Radio waves
can benefit the welfare of humanity through other purposes
than communications. Microwave power transmission (MPT)
is one of the new technological frontiers. Solar power
satellites (SPS) will provide a clean and limitless energy
resource from space through this technique. This article
answers the fundamental question of why we need to develop
SPS from the viewpoint of critical global issues for mankind.
It then reviews SPS research, mainly in Japan, in the 1980s
and

1990s.

These

efforts

include

two

MPT rocket

experiments; a microwave-driven airplane experiment; and

Fig.1The concept of SBSP transmission on to earth

MPT technology developments, concepts, and systems studies

of SPS.

I.INTRODUCTION
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity that is
often understood as the ability of a physical system to
do work on other physical systems .There are several forms of
energy such as electric energy, magnetic energy, mechanical
energy ,nuclear energy, ,solar energy. Solar energy meaning
energy from the sun has been harnessed by humans since
ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies.

Space-based solar power (SBSP) is the concept of

collecting solar power in space for use on Earth It has been in
research since the early 1970s.SBSP would differ from current
solar collection methods in that the means used to collect
energy would reside on an orbiting satellite instead of on
Earth's surface. Thus the satellite used here is solar power
satellites. Solar Power Satellites (SPS) converts solar energy in
to micro waves and sends that microwaves in to a beam to a
receiving antenna on the Earth for conversion to ordinary
electricity. The concept of a large SPS that would be placed in

geostationary orbit was invented by Peter Glaser in 1968. The

SPS concept was examined extensively during the late 1970s
by the U.S Department of Energy (DOE) and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The DOENASA put forward the SPS Reference System Concept in
1979. SBSP designs generally include the use of some manner
of wireless power transmission. The collecting satellite would
convert solar energy into electrical energy on board, powering
a microwave transmitter or laser emitter, and focus its beam
toward a collector rectenna on the Earth's surface.
II.SOLAR POWER SATELLITES
SPS is a clean, large-scale, stable electric
power source. Solar Power Satellites is known by a variety of
other names such as Satellite Power System, Space Power
Station, Space Power System, Solar Power Station, Space Solar
Power Station etc. One of the key technologies needed to
enable the future feasibility of SPS is that of Microwave
Wireless Power Transmission .WPT is based on the energy
transfer capacity of microwave beam i.e, energy can be
transmitted by a well focused microwave beam. Advances in
Phased array antennas and rectennas have provided the
building blocks for a realizable WPT system.

terrorist attacks on Earth bound nuclear power plants have

intensified environmentalist opposition to nuclear power.
Moreover, switching on to the natural fission reactor, the sun,
yields energy with no waste products. Earth based solar panels
receives only a part of the solar energy. It will be affected by
the day & night effect and other factors such as clouds. So it is
desirable to place the solar panel in the space itself, where, the
solar energy is collected and converted in to electricity which is
then converted to a highly directed microwave beam for
transmission. This microwave beam, which can be directed to
any desired location on Earth surface, can be collected and then
converted back to electricity. This concept is more
advantageous than conventional methods. Also the microwave
energy, chosen for transmission, can pass unimpeded through
clouds and precipitations.

III.DESIGN
Space-based solar power essentially consists of three
elements:

a means of collecting solar power in space, for

example via solar cells or a heat engine

a means of transmitting power to earth, for example

via microwave or laser

a means of receiving power on earth, for example via

a microwave antenna (rectenna)

Fig.2The Solar Power Satellite used in SBSP transmission

Increasing global energy demand is likely to continue for many

decades. Renewable energy is a compelling approach - both
philosophically and in engineering terms. However, many
renewable energy sources are limited in their ability to
affordably provide the base load power required for global
industrial development and prosperity, because of inherent land
and water requirements. The burning of fossil fuels resulted in
an abrupt decrease in their .it also led to the green house effect
and many other environmental problems. Nuclear power seems
to be an answer for global warming, but concerns about

Fig.3 Summary of Space based solar power

The space-based portion will not need to support itself against

gravity (other than relatively weak tidal stresses). It needs no
protection from terrestrial wind or weather, but will have to
cope with space hazards such as micro meteors and solar flares.
Two basic methods of conversion have been studied:
photovoltaic (PV) and solar dynamic (SD). Photovoltaic
conversion uses semiconductor cells to directly convert
photons into electrical power. Solar dynamic uses mirrors to
concentrate light on a boiler. The use of solar dynamic could
reduce mass par watt. Most analyses of SBSP have focused on
photovoltaic conversion (commonly known as solar cells).

surface. This is done using microwave transmission. Solar

power from the satellite is sent to Earth using a microwave
transmitter. Microwave transmission refers to the technology
of transmitting information or energy by the use of radio
waves whose wavelengths are conveniently measured in small
numbers of centimeter ; these are called microwaves. This part
of the radio spectrum ranges across frequencies of roughly
1.0 gigahertz (GHz) to 30 GHz. These correspond to
wavelengths from 30 centimeters down to 1.0 cm. after
transmission, the power is received by an antenna called
rectenna.

Wireless power transmission was proposed early on as a means

to transfer energy from collection to the Earth's surface, using
either microwave or laser radiation at a variety of frequencies.
IV.WORKING

Initially energy has to be collected from the sun using

a solar cell. A solar cell is an electrical device that converts the
energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic
effect. It works in three steps. Firstly, Photons in sunlight hit
the solar panel and are absorbed by semiconducting materials,
such as silicon .Secondly electrons (negatively charged) are
knocked loose from their atoms, causing an electric potential
difference. Current starts flowing through
the material
toof
cancel
Fig.5
An array
microwave power transmitters set up on Haleakala for the power beam
the potential and this electricity is captured. Due to the special
composition of solar cells, the electrons are only allowed to
move in a single direction .Thirdly an array of solar cells
converts solar energy into a usable amount of direct current
(DC) electricity.

Fig.6 Rectenna used to convert microwave energy to current electricity

Fig.4 Solar panel to collect solar energy

Now the energy from the solar cell has to be

transmitted o earths surface. This consists of two parts i.e
transmitting power to earth and receiving power on the earths

A rectenna is a rectifying antenna, a special type

of antenna that is used to convert microwave energy into direct
current electricity. They are used in wireless power
transmission systems that transmit power by radio waves. A
simple rectenna element consists of a dipole antenna with an
RF diode connected across the dipole elements. The
diode rectifies the AC current induced in the antenna by the
microwaves, to produce DC power, which powers a load

connected across the diode. Schottky diodes are usually used

because they have the lowest voltage drop and highest speed
and therefore have the lowest power losses due to conduction
and switching. Large rectennas consist of an array of many
such dipole elements.

Elimination of weather concerns, since the collecting

satellite would reside well outside of any atmospheric
gasses, cloud cover, wind, and other weather events.

Elimination of plant and wildlife interference.

Redirectable power transmission: A collecting satellite

could possibly direct power on demand to different
surface locations based on geographical baseload or
peak load power needs.

VI.CONCLUSION
V.ADVANTAGES
The SBSP concept is attractive because space has several
major advantages over the Earth's surface for the collection of
solar power.

There is no air in space, so the collecting surfaces

could receive much more intense sunlight,
unobstructed by weather.

A satellite could be illuminated over 99% of the time,

and be in Earth's shadow on only 75 minutes per night
at the spring and fall equinoxes.[29]

From the above information it is clear that this

technique is very much better. Moreover in the past few years,
it has been showing positive results. The reasons include
longer collection period and elimination of weather concerns,
since the collecting satellite would reside well outside of any
atmospheric gasses, cloud cover, wind, and other weather
events.
VII.REFERENCES

[1]

Relatively quick redirecting of power directly to areas

that need it most.

Higher collection rate: In space, transmission of solar

energy is unaffected by the filtering effects of
atmospheric gasses. Consequently, collection in orbit
is approximately 144% of the maximum attainable on
Earth's surface.

Longer collection period: Orbiting satellites can be

exposed to a consistently high degree of solar
radiation, generally for 24 hours per day, whereas
surface panels can collect for 12 hours per day at
most.[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-

based_solar_power

[2] Researchers Beam Space Solar Power

in Hawaii by Loretta Hidalgo, September
12, 2008.
[3] Wireless Power Transmission for Solar
Power Satellite (SPS) (Second Draft by N.
Shinohara), Space Solar Power Workshop,
Georgia Institute of Technology