Space solar power generation: a viable system proposal and technoeconomic analysis

This paper presents a distributed space solar power generation and transmission system that converts solar insolation into microwave power and beams it to Earth. This system, composed of a power station of large, close-flying modules residing in Geostationary Orbit, can form dynamically programmable focal points on Earth to provide dispatchable power on demand. Modules are composed of flexible phased array sheets hosting a self-synchronizing network of integrated circuits and antennas which convert DC power from photovoltaic cells into radiated RF energy. The sheets are coiled into a compact payload, launched, and deployed in orbit. Presented herein is a detailed technoeconomic analysis of the proposed system, with investigations into such areas as mass, cost to produce and launch, and a levelized cost of energy (LCOE). This analysis demonstrates that the proposed 10GHz system can generate dispatchable power on the ground at 6.641c/kWh---competitive with the cheapest clean energy sources available today.