Space-based solar power becoming a reality?

[jimbogumbo]

Sorry, but I got that you meant sunlight.

[jimbogumbo]

https://physicsworld.com/a/space-based-solar-power-could-beaming-sunlight-back-to-earth-meet-our-energy-needs/

[Ruralguy]

Its essentially Freeman Dyson's idea which inspired the sci fi concept of "Dyson spheres" (though Dyson said he really only ever meant a spherical distribution of solar collection satellites). But, yeah, the limitation is delivering the power.

In my head, I've analogized it to bringing flood waters of the lowlands to the dry west. It seems like an "obvious" way to solve droughts. Then you start thinking of the Herculean task of pumping water up from the Mississippi River (or some other river in central or northern US) through the Rockies, and down to LA or wherever. We know how to do it, but is a multibillion dollar project and would take many years. My feeling is that it would probably be worth it, and would probably be better than desalination. Of course the problem discussed above is even orders of magnitude more difficult. Still, I wouldn't be opposed to proof of concept research into this.  I have the feeling nuclear fusion will be more productive in a decade, and if its cheap enough to scale it to running cities and such, then maybe fusion could start to replace fission, in, say two or three decades.

[dismalist]

Its essentially Freeman Dyson's idea which inspired the sci fi concept of "Dyson spheres" (though Dyson said he really only ever meant a spherical distribution of solar collection satellites). But, yeah, the limitation is delivering the power.

In my head, I've analogized it to bringing flood waters of the lowlands to the dry west. It seems like an "obvious" way to solve droughts. Then you start thinking of the Herculean task of pumping water up from the Mississippi River (or some other river in central or northern US) through the Rockies, and down to LA or wherever. We know how to do it, but is a multibillion dollar project and would take many years. My feeling is that it would probably be worth it, and would probably be better than desalination. Of course the problem discussed above is even orders of magnitude more difficult. Still, I wouldn't be opposed to proof of concept research into this.  I have the feeling nuclear fusion will be more productive in a decade, and if its cheap enough to scale it to running cities and such, then maybe fusion could start to replace fission, in, say two or three decades.

Or, one could have western agriculture pay for the water it uses, watch the Colorado River fill up again, have plenty of water left over for people who would also pay, and ship agricultural produce from places that have plenty of water.

Or has it stopped raining?

[jimbogumbo]

I'm cool with agriculture paying. But, while it hasn't stopped raining, that isn't enough for the usage in Arizona and California. Were would the water they pay for come from?

[dismalist]

I'm cool with agriculture paying. But, while it hasn't stopped raining, that isn't enough for the usage in Arizona and California. Were would the water they pay for come from?

If people want a certain quantity of water for whatever purpose they will pay. If they can't or won't pay a sufficiently high price to obtain that quantity, they'll engage in less water intensive economic activities, or emigrate to the Northeast, where there's plenty of water.

If we wish to help them, we should ship them money, not water.

[jimbogumbo]

Where do you think the Northeast gets it's produce?

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/

[dismalist]

Where do you think the Northeast gets it's produce?

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/

Man, we have this thing called international trade! No worries. :-)

[jimbogumbo]

Where do you think the Northeast gets it's produce?

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/

Man, we have this thing called international trade! No worries. :-)

You know that's not enough. And, anyway, now we're back to energy production:)

[dismalist]

Where do you think the Northeast gets it's produce?

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Statistics/

Man, we have this thing called international trade! No worries. :-)

You know that's not enough. And, anyway, now we're back to energy production:)

Price change makes it enough, one way or another. Same with energy. But there, anything more expensive than nuclear is a waste of resources.

Good night!

[marshwiggle]

I am confidant this will happen in my lifetime. And, I'm assuming the type of innovation mentioned by Hibush above will make it possible. Not planning on the nightmare that marsh is describing. Microwave beaming would be seriously dangerous.

marshwiggle: I meant energy production (not communications) for geosynchronous.

I think Hibush was making a point. :)

Too subtle, apparently, but thanks for noticing.

One of the things I love about British humour, as opposed to a lot of American humor, (aside from the "u"s), is the fact that it doesn't have a pause and a laugh-track; it assumes the audience is clever enough to catch it without having to have attention drawn to it. Sarcasm or irony that has to be pointed out has failed.

[arcturus]

One of the things I love about British humour, as opposed to a lot of American humor, (aside from the "u"s), is the fact that it doesn't have a pause and a laugh-track; it assumes the audience is clever enough to catch it without having to have attention drawn to it. Sarcasm or irony that has to be pointed out has failed.

Do you think the extra 'u's act as absorbents, to keep the wit dry?

[marshwiggle]

One of the things I love about British humour, as opposed to a lot of American humor, (aside from the "u"s), is the fact that it doesn't have a pause and a laugh-track; it assumes the audience is clever enough to catch it without having to have attention drawn to it. Sarcasm or irony that has to be pointed out has failed.

Do you think the extra 'u's act as absorbents, to keep the wit dry?

You deserve honours for that valourous and colourful response.

[apl68]

All I know is that by now, we were all supposed to be getting about in flying cars.  I don't know what's worse - all the techno libertarians or the techno utopians.  Must be something in the water at Stanford.  Maybe they can also create a crypto currency to pay for it all - lightly regulated, magic internet money that lives in the cloud, seems to be prone to fraud and people "losing the keys to the wallet"  and is entirely dependent on "the greater fool" theory to be of any value.

I'm nowhere close to a techno utopian. The advances in technology the last 40 years have been extraordinary without needing to think like that.

Here you go with your flying car: https://www.engadget.com/united-airlines-flying-taxi-eve-air-mobility-embrarer-162205301.html

Shucks, I know of at least ten different designs of flying car that actually flew between the 1920s and 1970s.  One, believe it or not, was a flying Ford Pinto, which is scary to think about.  It has long been doable.  Just never practical, or very economically feasible.  And no doubt for the best, given all the trouble we've had from the proliferation of the earth-bound kind.

[apl68]

Funnily enough, I'm now in the process of reading an old book I found recently that's all about colonies in space.  The whole colonization business was expected to be driven by the need to build giant orbital solar arrays to beam power back to Earth.  The collection points earthside were expected to be miles in diameter, probably built on tapped-out oil and coal fields that had already been ruined for any other use. 

This book is pushing five decades old.  Maybe this time it's different?  Again, I'll believe it when I see it.