Title

Feasibility of Harnessing Space Solar Energy through Solar Power Satellites

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-17-2017

Faculty Sponsor

Zeynep Hansen

Abstract

Reliable and affordable energy is fundamental to our global society. As the world’s economy has grown over the last three decades, it has become urgent to increase the energy available for consumption. There is a finite supply of fossil fuels available for use and the world population will not be able to sustain its growing energy demand from them alone. Moreover, dependence on fossil fuels over the last 40 years has contributed significantly to climate change impacts. The majority of scientists are in agreement that increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at our current rate will alter the global climate by the end of the 21st century. This presents the opportunity to search for an alternative, more sustainable form of energy. This goal may be achieved through harnessing space solar power through Solar Power Satellites (SPS). This paper uses a cost-benefit analysis on the most up-to-date SPS design series, the "SPS-ALPHA." Preliminary results show that with existing technology, harnessing space solar power through SPS is not only feasible, but also profitable.

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