Japan wants to 'beam' energy from space to Earth

Illustration of microwaves transmitted to receiving stations on Earth. Photo: Adobe .

According to BGR , a satellite with a size just larger than a washing machine could make a big step forward in reshaping the future of clean energy. Specifically, the satellite will beam the collected solar energy down, where collectors will convert it into usable energy.

This is the vision of a project called OHISAMA (meaning "Sun" in Japanese), which will be launched in 2025. Weighing only about 180 kg, the satellite will enter low Earth orbit at an altitude of about 400 km above the planet.

Here, the satellite will collect sunlight using a 2-square-meter panel and convert it into microwaves - waves that can pass through clouds, thus ensuring stability regardless of weather - and transmit them down to receiving stations on Earth.

The microwaves will be beamed down to an antenna array in Suwa, Japan, where the energy will be captured and converted back into electricity. The stations will store the energy in chemical form.

The initial power output was calculated to be only about one kilowatt — enough to run a coffee maker or dishwasher for an hour.

Although it is a modest amount of power, the success of this experiment will have far-reaching implications. It is one of the first practical tests of a solar power grid, which collects solar energy in space and then beams it back to Earth.

In fact, the technology of a solar power station in space was proposed by an American physicist in 1968. According to this technology, solar panels would be launched to an altitude of 36,000 km above the Earth's surface.

In Japan, the research project was carried out by Kyoto University. In the 1980s, the research team found a way to transmit energy through space using microwaves.

Source: https://znews.vn/nhat-ban-muon-chieu-nang-luong-tu-vu-tru-xuong-trai-dat-post1553768.html