Solar Power from Space May Be an Overdue Answer to U.S. Energy Crisis

The technologies available to make our energy costs lower and more eco-friendly have been around a long time, with some instantly workable (to the point of needless delay) and others that need refining (to the point of true delay). Solar-based power from space still falls somewhere in the middle--outside of the concept being workable in theory already close to forty years ago. It was the use of our satellites and space stations that ultimately would play the theoretical part in reflecting sunlight down to us so that the threat of ending up in an inevitable and stifling energy crisis wouldn't leave us in a state of panic. Unfortunately, this technology has only been bantered around in a serious way recently with those in lab coats and large geek glasses through the think tanks at MIT. Only now has it been placed into the ears of the mainstream when energy behemoth PG&E decided to make it a full business enterprise by 2016.

Ever since the basic idea was first proposed by Dr. Peter Glaser back in 1968, the thought has long been that space is a wide-open field capable of doing incredible things for us in a safe way. That frame of mind still seems to exist despite the increasing recent threat of space junk colliding with our satellites and International Space Station. We also have the future threat of Russia and China sending their junky spacecraft into space that could potentially be used as weapons of universal destruction if not destruction of our own spacecraft in times of war.

When you see PG&E investing millions of their own dollars into the prospect of profiting profusely off space-based solar power by the middle of the next decade, it makes the idea of a smart business model a bit perplexing. PG&E says that their business plan for the endeavor is worked out to the finest detail so they'll benefit. But that above-noted safety of space could be a major issue by 2016 when PG&E wants us to start getting our power via reflected microwave beams from our satellites. Then again, America would probably make sure that the space we first claimed stays safe when the use of solar power from space ends up becoming a reality for a different reason than supposedly lowering our energy bills.

Back during our energy crisis of the 1970's, our government was reportedly and seriously contemplating solar power from the confines of space. During that time, the Department of Energy teamed up with NASA to look into how it could work without it hurting the wallets of energy execs. And let's call a spade a spade: The lack of a good business model to reap the biggest profits is the only reason why we weren't using this technology already by the 70's. We had the means to do it to a limited degree already then despite not having our Space Shuttle fleet up and running quite yet to make more frequent trips into space to set it up or do repairs.

By the 80's, corporate greed was at such a high point, the chances of it even being considered were out the window. It wasn't until the mid 90's when it was seriously contemplated again by NASA and our Department of Energy. No coincidence, either, that the process was sped up once our relations with the Middle East and our reliance on oil became a focus of concern in the 2000's.

If you don't think our fast-tracking this system isn't designed to calm the storms of an inevitable unraveling of American dependence on Middle Eastern oil, then you're probably one who thinks that your energy bills are fair and square...
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It was in 2007 when the Pentagon put their minds toward this concept and when the importance of its use through tempering problems in the Middle East began. This didn't get much publicity either, even though the Pentagon didn't really want it known. Instead, we've had to endure the screams of abject hopelessness when it comes to depending on the oil of the Middle East and threatening to drill in the U.S. just to keep from having a shortage in the future that keeps us driving or heating our homes. While all that was going on, the Pentagon's National Security Space Office set up think tanks figuring out a way to use solar power from space to keep our relationship with the oil barons of the Middle East under control.

No doubt most Americans would pay money to see a live camera feed of the OPEC sultans in Saudi Arabia sweating bullets during an emergency business meeting over this study at the Pentagon. The whole idea is a workable break-off to our foreign dependence on energy and a wet dream for business in America. If there's any problem as of the writing of this article is that the answers to the Pentagon study are still being awaited through the use of the International Space Station to beam down those microwave beams. We now have the full technological capability to have sun beams reflected off mirrors on our satellites down to an antenna (or perhaps smaller devices) here on Earth.

Now that things are in place to do that through an affordable format, we're supposedly on the cusp of heating, cooling or lighting our homes forever without having to see future Presidents kissing the back sides of the Saudi sultans or see contentious Congressional debates about drilling for oil in Alaska for the umpteenth time. When PG&E gets involved, though, you know nothing is going to change in how we pay for energy in this country. We may eventually be freed of having to be at the mercy of OPEC and whether they'll affect prices. Instead, we'll be at the other and equal evil: The American corporation that doesn't care if they bleed their customers dry with big bills.

PG&E stands to profit exponentially with solar power from space as well as inevitably being placed on a pedestal for innovating and getting us off reliance on the Middle East as well as saving the environment. If there's money left in anyone's bank account by 2016, PG&E would be a fantastic stock pick. Otherwise, everybody else will be paying big bucks for a service that should be as free as solar panels on the roof of someone's house.

Then the ethical debates could begin whether paying big bills for space-based solar power is an American patriotic duty for the sake of energy independence...

Sources:

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090413-710658.html

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=will-space-based-solar-power-finally-see-the-light-of-day