Solar Power Satellites Advantages And Disadvantages

Abstract

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. SPS is a

clean, large-scale, stable electric power source. For SPS Wireless power transmission is

essential. WPT contains microwave beam, which can be directed to any desired location on Earth

surface. This beam collects Solar Energy and converts it into Electrical Energy. This concept is

more advantageous than conventional methods. The SPS will be a central attraction of space and

energy technology in coming decades. It is not a pollutant but more aptly, a man made extension

of the naturally generated electromagnetic spectrum that provides

Nuclear power seems

to be an answer for global warming, but concerns about terrorist attacks on Earth bound nuclear

power plants have intensified environmentalist opposition to nuclear power. Earth based solar

panels receives only a part of the solar energy. 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.

2. Wireless Power Transmission

Transmission or distribution of 50 or 60 Hz electrical energy from the generation point to the

consumer end without any physical wire has yet to mature as a familiar and viable technology.

The 50 Hz ac power tapped from the grid lines is stepped down to a suitable voltage level for

rectification into dc. This is supplied to an oscillator fed

Using dc to ac inverters with higher conversion efficiency .Using schottky diode with higher

ratings.

2.1 Microwave Power Transmission in SPS

The microwave transmission system has had three aspects:

1. The conversion of direct power from the photovoltaic cells, to microwave power on the

satellites on geosynchronous orbit above the Earth.

2. The formation and control of microwave beam aimed precisely at fixed locations on the

Earth’s surface.

3. The collection of the microwave energy and its conversion into electrical energy at the earth’s

surface. The key microwave components in a WPT system are the transmitter, beam control and

the receiving antenna called rectennas .At the transmitting antenna, microwave power tubes such

as magnetrons and klystrons are used as RF power sources. Rectennas is a component unique to

WPT systems. The following section describes each of these components in detail.

References

(1).Hiroshi Matsumoto, “Research on solar power satellites and microwave power transmission

in Japan”, IEEE microwave magazine, pp.36-45, Dec 2002.

Ms. S.G. Satavekar