Japanese Aerospace Agency Plans for Space-Based Solar Energy Farm by 2030
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said it plans to have a fully functional, space-based solar energy farm instated by 2030.
The plan reportedly involves creating a collection of orbiting platforms that absorb solar energy and beam it down to Earth in the form of microwaves, according to The Latin Post. The collected energy would then be converted into electricity for commercial use.
Japan has been looking for alternative sources of renewable energy in response to the destruction of nuclear reactors caused by tsunamis and earthquakes, such as the March 2011 tsunami that caused a massive radioactive waste leak at Fukushima, ABC News reported.
Susumu Sasaki, a professor emeritus at JAXA, said the solar-energy farm is the best choice for an energy source because of the country's scarce availability of land and natural resources, such as coal.
http://www.hngn.com/articles/30676/20140507/japanese-aerospace-agency-plans-for-space-based-solar-energy-farm-by-2030.htm
