Citation

Moses H. Energy 1979; 4(5): 799-809.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1979, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0360-5442(79)90012-4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In the Satellite Power System (SPS) considered here, energy from the sun is collected by an array, 5 km × 10.5 km in area, located in geostationary orbit. The array contains either silicon or gallium aluminum arsenide photovoltaic cells whose output is transformed to 2.45 GHz microwaves. These are beamed to earth to a 10 km × 15 km rectifying antenna (rectenna) which rectifies the microwaves and interfaces the power with utility power lines. Each unit will produce 5 million kW of electrical power (5 GWe). Sixty such units are planned at the rate of two per year over 30 yr.

This paper deals with an assessment of both the environmental and societal aspects of an SPS. Under environmental aspects, attention is devoted to the health and ecological effects of both microwave radiation and other effects. The interaction of microwaves with the atmosphere is examined particularly as it affects communication. Nonelectromagnetic radiation effects such as noise and increased pollution are also considered.

Societal aspects are divided into four general catagories: 1.
(1) resources, which includes materials required, availability of suitable land, and energy used to construct an SPS;
2.
(2) institutional, which deals with State and other regulations, financial management, and utility integration;
3.
(3) international aspects including organizational structures; and
4.
(4) societal aspects including factors dealing with social acceptance and the need for communications with the younger people.