Quarterly Report to the Technology Assessment Board, July 1 - September 30, 1981 Page: 31
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Volume IV, Issue 8, August 1981
PUBLICATION BRIEF
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Solar Power Satellites
Although it appears technically feasible for satellites to supply electric power to
the Earth in the next century, there is too little information currently available to make
a sound decision on whether to develop a solar power satellite (SPS) system.
A research program could provide this information. However,the urgency of pursuing
SPS research depends less on resolving technical difficulties than on the future
growth rate of electricity demand, the relative cost and flexibility of competing electric
supply technologies, and the speed with which the major uncertainties about the SPS
can be resolved.
The SPS concept envisions collecting solar energy in space and transmitting it to
Earth for conversion to electrical power. Microwaves, infrared laser, and mirror reflection
have all been suggested as transmission modes. Although t is not yet possible to
choose an optimum SPS system, several alternatives to the reference system used for
study by NASAIDOE offer significant improvements in size, cost, and feasibility.
Major uncertainties are associated with eachof the proposed systems. Predominant
among these are the environmental and health effects of transmitting energy, the
size and location of receivers on Earth, the health risks to space workers from ionizing
radiation, and the potential interference with other users of the electromagnetic spectrum.
In addition, the high cost, complexity, and possible military impacts of SPS involve
institutional poal and political considerations.
Any SPS system would also raise sensitive questions of international law and
trade. Since developing SPS as a multinational rather than a unilateral system could
provide significant economic and political advantages, these issues should be taken
into account in SPS planning.
The cost estimates to demonstrate a full-scale SPS for the systems studied by
OTA exceed $100 billion. Although these estimates are now uncertain, demonstration
costs are likely to be at least $40 billion (in current dollars). These costs are unlikely to
come down for the generation of systems now under study, although it is possible that
further innovations may reduce these estimates.
OTA also compared several potential future electricity sources: nuclear breeder,
fusion, solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, and SPS. It found that while the capital
costs and uncertainties are high for all these technologies, they are highest for fusion
and SPS.
If future growth of demand for electricity is expected to be low, it is not necessary
to initiate a specific SPS research program at this time. However, it may be desirable to
designate an agency to track research applicable to SPS, review trends in electricity
demand, and monitor the progress of other electrical supply technologies.
A dedicated SPS research program, started now, might range between $5 million
and $30 million per year. Research should focus on those areas most critical to SPS
economic, technical, and environmental feasibility with particular attention to analysis
of alternative SPS systems. Since the feasibility of SPS also depends on its social,
political, international, and institutional acceptability, these aspects should be part of
any research program.
Copies of the OTA report, "Solar Power Satellites" are available from the U.S. Government
Printing Office. The GPO stock number is 052-003-00848-3; the price is $7.50. Copies of the full
report for Congressional use are available by calling 4-8996. Summary copies are available at no
charge from the Office of Technology Assessment.The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is an advisory arm of the U.S. Congress whose basic function is to help legislators
anticipate and plan for the positive and negative impacts of technological changes. Address: OTA, U.S. Congress, Washington,
D.C. 20510. Phone: 202/224-0885. (OTA offices are located at 600 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) John H. Gibbons, Director.
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Office of Technology Assessment. Quarterly Report to the Technology Assessment Board, July 1 - September 30, 1981, text, 1981; Washington, D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc9227/m1/34/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.