Space-based solar power is a decades-old concept for very large solar power satellites, typically in a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) where they are exposed to the sun for almost 100 percent of the time. These satellites harvest solar energy, which is converted to microwaves, using solid state power conversion, and beamed to ground-based rectennas. A typical system would deliver 2 gigawatts, enough to power 1 million homes.
June 2022 - Solar Power from Space: A Solution to Net Zero? | Via Satellite (satellitetoday.com)
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Space-to-Earth transmission is the final goal and it demands work of multiple years. But we could meet some near-term targets. The goal for 2050 is to build a commercially operated solar plant that generates electricity of two gigawatts with an antenna that would be around one-kilometer and a complex solar cell array to be assembled in space.
Solar power from space has a lot of potential because it can collect energy continually without having to deal with issues like bad weather or waiting for the sun to rise. However, there are still obstacles to overcome, such as determining the impact of a high-frequency energy beam on communications, aviation traffic, and the health of local populations....