Page - 118 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

nowmuch lower than they were just a few years ago and still decreasing, radiation resistance of solar cells and microwave generating equipment may be improved, the cost of insertion into geosynchronous orbit will hopefully come down significantly, and small SPS units (100–300MW)may become sufficiently practical to be worth considering. The other problems would remain, and terrestrial competition from other renewable electric technologieswill increase. At a time when I was responsible for the US government’s renewable electricity programs I had concluded that R&D investment in SPS was not then a prudent use of government funds. Nevertheless, if the problems enumerated above can be addressed successfully, SPS may be a viable option for the future. Water,Energy, andEnvironment–APrimer118