All articles tagged with #energy transmission
Shimizu Corp. envisions a 6,800-mile ring of lunar‑made solar panels around the Moon to harvest constant sunlight and beam up to 13,000 terawatts of power to Earth via microwaves and lasers; construction would use lunar materials with robots, potentially starting around 2035, but cost, lunar dust, and international cooperation remain open questions.
The Trump administration canceled a $4.9 billion federal loan guarantee for the Grain Belt Express power transmission project, which aims to carry wind-generated electricity across the Midwest, citing it as unnecessary for supporting reliable and affordable energy. Despite the project's potential to enhance grid capacity and support AI data centers, political and land use disputes, along with policy shifts favoring fossil fuels over renewables, led to the cancellation, raising concerns about the U.S.'s ability to expand its energy infrastructure to meet growing demands.
Japan is set to launch a small satellite in 2025 to demonstrate the transmission of solar power from space to Earth, marking a significant step towards a potential space-based solar power station. The satellite will wirelessly transmit energy from low Earth orbit using a photovoltaic panel and microwaves, with the mission part of a project called OHISAMA. While the concept of space-based solar power was once considered impractical and costly, recent technological advances and the urgency to decarbonize the world's power supply have renewed interest in the idea, although some challenges and concerns remain.
For the first time, Earth has received power beamed from a satellite in space as part of an experimental system called MAPLE, demonstrating the possibility of transmitting solar power from orbit. The system, developed by the Space Solar Power Demonstrator (SSPD), aims to create a modular spacecraft constellation capable of providing energy to remote regions or areas affected by disasters without the need for transmission infrastructure. The successful test transmitted about 1 milliwatt of power to the ground and could pave the way for a space-based solar power station.
New York Independent System Operator has announced a $3.26 billion project called Propel NY Energy, which will install a network of high-voltage cables for offshore wind energy. The project promises three new interconnection lines between Long Island and the Bronx and Westchester County using seven new high-voltage cables. The cables will carry power in two directions, enabling them to provide Nassau and Suffolk customers better access to upstate nuclear and hydroelectric power that could reduce costs in the region. The project is expected to take several years of planning, permitting, and stakeholder meetings before construction can begin in 2026.
Researchers from the University of Houston and Germany have proposed a concept that uses superconductors to move people, cargo, and energy along existing highway infrastructure, reducing operating costs and enabling the storage and transportation of liquified hydrogen. The model relies on liquid hydrogen to cool the superconductors as it moves across the system, with "liquified nitrogen and a vacuum layer used to thermally insulate the liquified hydrogen." The research is published in the journal APL Energy.