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Using space-based solar power to stop climate change: thoughts? (gizmodo.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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What's everyone's thoughts on using space-based solar power to help solve the climate crisis?

Now that we're hitting the 1.5 degree mark, I notice a lot of news articles coming out in favor of such things, but I want to know how you think of it.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We still have plenty of space down here where we could put solar-panels and I doubt the efficiency gains from space based solar PV will ever make up for the difficulties in getting them up there and beaming the energy back down.

And I am a little suspicious that this will be turned into weapon technology as the potential for that is certainly there.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Having rectennas for those things on the Earth instead of solar farms would benefit conservation though, as it's essentially just chicken wire you can hang over farms and forested areas that won't disturb wildlife. Actually if memory serves, those things can't efficiently transmit at frequencies that would damage life. It uses like, the same frequency as wifi. I'd be worried about it causing cell phone interference.

I can imagine some shitty government deliberately building microwave MASERs using the tech specifically to burninate opponents though. All the more reason for everybody to organize and take power away from them so they can't.

Why do I get the feeling China or Russia would try though?