Dec
10
Space Based Solar Energy Deal Gets The Regulatory OK
December 10, 2009 | 6 Comments
Late last week after a 6 ½ month wait, the California Public Utilities Commission approved Pacific Gas & Electric’s power purchase agreement with Solaren. If Solaren successfully deploys its space-based solar collectors, the deal would be the first of its kind and the first commercial space based energy production at commercial scale. PG&E has contracted […]
Jul
9
Another Orbital Power Station Plus New Infrastructure
July 9, 2009 | 1 Comment
Xenotech Research, headed by Sir Charles Shults III, has several projects under way. The most interesting is the move to New Mexico close to the Spaceport America site that broke ground for construction just a couple weeks back. Sir Charles has recently been negotiating with Gene Meyers and Terry Martin of Space Island Group about […]
Jun
25
Competition Grows For Orbital Solar Power
June 25, 2009 | 37 Comments
PowerSat Corp. has filed a provisional patent for two technologies called BrightStar and Solar Power Orbital Transfer, that are expected make the transmission of space solar power more cost-effective by reducing the price for launch and operation of systems as large as 2,500 megawatts by about $1 billion. This follows Solaren’s recently signed deal for […]
Apr
15
Space Based Solar Power Gets the First OK!
April 15, 2009 | 9 Comments
Pacific Gas and Electric the southern California utility asked California Public Utilities Commission last Friday for permission to buy 200 megawatts of electricity from Solaren’s orbiting power plant when and if it’s built, projected for 2016, a mere 7 years out. PG&E spokesman Jonathan Marshall said, “We’re convinced it’s a very serious possibility that they […]
Sep
15
A Reality Check Of Space Based Power
September 15, 2008 | 15 Comments
Friday saw NASA’s former manager of Exploration Systems Research and Technology Program, John C. Mankin who is regarded as one of, or the foremost expert on space based solar power announce the results of demonstration of wireless power transmission. Space-based solar power, in which large satellite solar panels collect plentiful solar energy in orbit and […]