Seite - 116 - in Water, Energy, and Environment - A Primer

8.3 SOLARPOWERSATELLITE (SPS)SYSTEM NoSPS systems currently exist, but, as proposed, such systems would use electricity generated by a collection of solar PV panels in geosynchronous orbit (i.e., orbiting above a fixed point on Earth) to power an Earth-facingmicrowave generator. The generated microwave energy would be beamed through the atmosphere to a ground-mounted receiver (‘rectenna’) that would convert the receivedmicrowaves to electricity thatwould bedistributedtoconsumersviatheterrestrialgrid(seeFigure8.9). This concept first receivedNASAattention and review in the 1970s which raised a number of issues which still remain problematic. A small group of SPS enthusiasts still promote the technologybut broad support is lacking. The obvious advantage of SPS is its access to unimpeded radiation from the Sun, without the interference of clouds or atmospheric absorption and scattering. This is partially offset by the need for themicrowaves to pass through the atmosphere to Figure8.9 Schematicofsolarpowersatellitesystem(Source:American Journal ofPhysics,MaqsoodandNasir, 2013). Water,Energy, andEnvironment–APrimer116