Beaming solar power from space is closer to reality after breakthrough Japanese test

Forward-looking: Recent tests have proven that beaming solar energy to Earth from low-orbiting satellites is theoretically possible with existing technology. If implemented, the method could resolve several flaws of conventional solar panels, providing a continuous source of renewable energy while occupying minimal space. Researchers from Japan Space Systems (JSS) recently beamed energy wirelessly from a speeding jet to antennae on the ground. The successful experiment confirms the viability of numerous tools that might eventually transmit solar power from space to Earth. Low-orbit solar panels that beam energy to the surface have multiple advantages over ground-based solar farms. Without interference from the Earth's atmosphere, they can collect several times more energy. The arrays would send power to Earth in the form of microwaves, which lose only five percent of their energy when passing through the atmosphere. Furthermore, maintaining proper orbit enables the transmission of s ... Read full article.