Solar from Space Could Soon Be as Real as New York Solar Panels
Solar Panel – While the concept has been around since the late 1960s, most people have never heard of space-based solar power. For scientists, it’s the next evolution of renewable energy technology. Some researchers envision a future where solar panels aren’t mounted to rooftops and in large arrays on Earth. Instead, they will be attached to satellites in space, and electricity will be beamed back to us.
While it might sound like science fiction, there is already a working model of space-based solar power. Governments are becoming particularly interested. Space-based solar power could play a role in decarbonization and if viable technology matures, it could be a lot more affordable than the solar that we generate on Earth.
It Makes Sense to Harvest Solar Energy in Space
Modern solar panels have made significant gains in overall efficiency. If you get solar power in New York, the panels on your rooftop will be efficient enough to power your home during the day while also offsetting your nighttime usage thanks to net metering. Rooftop solar reduces the need to buy electricity from the grid, resulting in savings over time and a return on investment. In ideal cases, savings will cover the cost of installation within the first ten years.
That’s quite impressive, and it’s the reason that so many families are considering or already have New York solar installations.
But even with the efficiency of today’s panels, there’s still one key problem with installing panels on our planet. The day-night cycle means that for more than half of every day, panels will either shut down or produce only a small amount of electricity. There are also weather conditions to consider. Snow, heavy rain, and cloud cover can all reduce the efficiency of solar-powered panels temporarily. In most cases, this isn’t a problem because the good days cover the days when panel output is reduced. But, if we want to get really efficient, we can put panels where they aren’t affected by the day-night cycle and where the weather conditions aren’t a concern.
Solar panels in space will theoretically be able to operate at maximum efficiency all the time. There’s no atmosphere to worry about so clouds and weather won’t be a problem. Once the technology is ready for widescale deployment, it could cost a lot of money and natural resources to send equipment into space. But if we consider the dwindling fossil fuel reserves on Earth, this might be the best option for future generations.
A recent report in Science Alert Magazine explored some of the potential designs for space-based solar power, including a 2-kilometer (1.24 mile) wide array with steerable reflectors that could continuously direct the sun’s energy towards solar cells. All current designs share a similar method where the harvested energy is beamed to earth in microwaves, before being received by base stations and sent out to the grid.
It could take decades before this type of technology is viable, but it’s still exciting to think about what the future could hold.
Your New York Solar Installation Will be More Than Enough for Your Energy Needs
You don’t have to feel bad that solar power in New York still comes from rooftop panels. A New York solar installation can be highly efficient, and your investment will create savings that last for decades. New York Power Solutions will provide a complete cost/benefit breakdown so that you can evaluate the potential of solar before you get installed.
Space will play a huge role for future generations, maybe even in how we generate electricity. For now, the best way to power your home is with solar power in New York. Learn about the cost and potential savings over time with your free NY solar estimate. Having solar panels on your rooftop is one of the most important investments you can make in your home.
