And Tomorrow's Winners Will Be... (WSJ)

[bananas]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703989304575504513109245490.html

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

And Tomorrow's Winners Will Be...
By CHRIS GAY

<snip>

Space-Based Solar Power

"Once heavy-lift launch is solved, space solar power will be close behind," says Mr. Morris. "Space solar power could transform the Earth's economy."

The idea is for satellites in geostationary orbit to collect the sun's energy and convert it into radio waves for transmission to surface stations, where it will be converted into electricity for local power grids.

Mr. Morris thinks there are several companies that could achieve this.

One is Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Solaren Corp., which last year reached an agreement to sell 200 megawatts of electricity a year to California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., for 15 years, starting in 2016. Solaren says it plans to test key systems and deployments in space in 2014, and launch its Space Solar Power Plant into geostationary orbit in 2016.

<snip>

:applause:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. That sounds really interesting!

But the tidbit that caught my eye? Solaren Corp. is based in my town...how about that? I've never heard of them, but I'm going to look them up...

I hope this pans out.

[kristopher]

2. We can power the launch vehicle with dirt cheap modular nuclear reactors!

That's the ticket!

K&R

[Nihil]

3. "Free beer tomorrow!"

> "Once heavy-lift launch is solved, space solar power will be close behind"

"Once nuclear waste disposal is solved, widespread fission plants will be close behind"

"Once state of the national grid is solved, distributed power generation will be close behind"

"Once the energy extraction problems are solved, fusion power will be close behind"

"Once the irritating physics problems are solved, free zero-point energy supplies will be close behind"

"Once CO2 capture & safe secure storage is solved, new coal & natural gas plants
will be close behind"

Oops ... that last one seems to be in the wrong order ...