Blog on the Corner

With the increase adoption of solar power it was inevitable until we launched the first solar panel into space.  This is exactly what John Mankins is attempting to do.  Mankin’s concept of a space solar panel looks something like this

Solar panels on earth are restricted from harnessing the full power of the suns energy because of the Ozone as well as cloud cover.  By launching a space solar panel, we could harness full solar energy 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  This technology could turn solar power into the number one source of power on our planet.  Technological advancements in energy conversion has allowed this concept to take off as Energy needs to be transported from the solar panel down to earth.  The panels transport light to a set of photovoltaic cells which harness the energy.  Furthermore, the components of the solar panel in total way less than 440 pounds, which is a drastic change from the original projected weight.  With a reduced weight, the production will be cheaper (smaller components) and transportation costs will also be significantly diminished, meaning NASA (supporters of the project) will have enough budget to create the panel.  If successfully installed, the entire power industry as we know it will take a drastic change, resulting in a huge reduction in emissions and virtually changing the way we think about sustainable energy forever.

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