Renewable energies Solar power from space

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China is working on a massive solar farm in space. The energy yield would be gigantic, as rocket scientist Long Lehao emphasizes.

Henrik Bork, long-time China correspondent for the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Frankfurter Rundschau, is Managing Director at Asia Waypoint, a consulting agency specializing in China based in Beijing.

"We are currently working on the project," confirms rocket scientist Long Lehao in a speech to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is referring to a massive solar farm in space that is being developed in China. The academy recently published the speech on its website.

A one-kilometer-long (0.621 miles) area of solar panels is planned in space. "The energy harvested in one year would be equivalent to the entire amount of oil that can be extracted on Earth," says Long.

Currently, a team of scientists is working on the new rocket "Long March 9" (CZ-9), which is intended to transport the components into their Earth orbit. It is an enlarged version of earlier rockets of this type, capable of carrying loads of up to 165.35 short tons into a low orbit on a single flight.

Long Lehao is the former chief engineer for China's Long March rocket series and, despite being 87 years old, is still actively involved in their development and the solar project in space. For his speech, the esteemed scientist, who keeps fit with strength training, running, and swimming, received enthusiastic applause.

Energy production in orbit runs around the clock

China is pursuing the space project, even though it is already a leader in the installation of solar panels and the costs for terrestrially generated solar power have continued to decrease. The main reason: Unlike on Earth, there are no fluctuations in energy production in orbit during day and night.

The intensity of the sun's rays in space is also about ten times stronger than in the atmosphere, where friction losses caused by the air and frequent cloud cover neutralize a large portion of the solar energy.

In June 2021, an experimental solar power plant for space was built for the first time in Chongqing, in Sichuan Province.

Launch vehicles are expected to be available from 2030

However, before construction of the solar farm in space can begin, a number of technological hurdles must be overcome. The up to 110-meter-high (360.89 feet) and reusable launch vehicles are expected to be available by around 2030.

In the meantime, other Chinese research teams are working on the problem of efficiently transmitting solar power from space to Earth. In June 2021, an experimental solar power plant for space was built for the first time in Chongqing, in Sichuan Province.

At the "Xian University of Electronic Science and Technology," electricity was transmitted over a longer distance using microwaves for the first time in the summer of 2022.

Send electricity to Earth by microwave

This technology of wireless power transmission has only been tested on Earth so far. However, the team is making rapid progress with its project "Chasing the Sun" (Chinese Zhu Ri).

In November of the previous year, chief scientist Duan Baoyan was able to publish a report stating that all terrestrial components of a solar farm in space have been successfully tested in Xian.

As early as 2028, China plans to convert solar energy directly into electricity in space through initial experiments and "beam" it down via microwave over a distance of 22,369.2 miles to receiving stations on Earth, where it will be converted back into electrical power.

Commercial solar power plant in space planned for 2050

Initially, an experimental setup with 13.41 horsepower is planned, but it is expected to quickly be expanded to 134.1 horsepower. According to current plans, China aims to have the first commercially operated solar power plant in space in operation by 2050 at the latest.

In the USA, comparable technologies have also been researched, including at the US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) and the Naval Research Laboratory. Japan and the EU also have projects exploring the feasibility of solar farms in space. The idea of a virtually inexhaustible, emission-free energy source enjoys universal popularity.

However, nowhere is the effort to harness solar power in space as concerted as in the People's Republic of China. "The contrast between what China is doing to promote solar energy and the 'Drill, Baby, Drill' mentality that has taken hold in the USA is startling," comments the portal "Clean Technica" on the speech of the Chinese rocket scientist.

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