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New York, 3:42 AM
Sun Dec 6
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  • posts about #pge more →

    California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch

    California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Demonbird Demonbird
    12/04/09

    In reply to California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch
    And people wonder why California is bankrupt.
     Reply
    Demonbird was starred Demonbird was unstarred
    Image of EBone EBone
    12/04/09

    In reply to California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch
    I'm meeting with PG&E later this month and I can't wait to rattle their cage about this.
     Reply
    EBone was starred EBone was unstarred
    Image of Panzer23 Panzer23
    12/04/09

    In reply to California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch
    And now I will build and Ice Palace and a ridiculous suit to control the sunlight!!!! HAHAHAHA *menacing laugh*

    Sigh, what a horrible movie
     Reply
    Panzer23 was starred Panzer23 was unstarred
    Image of PotteryBarnClearanceSale PotteryBarnClearanceSale
    12/04/09

    In reply to California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch
    Couldn't they build a few nuclear plants for the same amount of money?

    Space? That's really expensive right now.
     Reply
    PotteryBarnClearanceSale was starred PotteryBarnClearanceSale was unstarred
    Image of Jack of all Tirades R.O.A.C.H. Jack of all Tirades R.O.A.C.H.
    12/04/09

    @PotteryBarnClearanceSale: They say the same thing about space as they do about real estate. It's what's for breakfast! No, wait.
     Reply
    Shamoononon: I shave my legs. promoted this comment Jack of all Tirades R.O.A.C.H. was starred Jack of all Tirades R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
    Image of Shamoononon: I shave my legs. Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
    12/04/09

    @PotteryBarnClearanceSale: I'm still mulling over where they are going to find the extension cable long enough to reach that thing.
     Reply
    Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was starred Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was unstarred
    Image of ilovexspin ilovexspin
    12/04/09

    In reply to California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch
    Something as well aims for a launch.

    A HUGE FUCKING METEOR LAUNCHING IN 2012 AIMED AT THE EARTH!!!!!!!!
     Reply
    ilovexspin was starred ilovexspin was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    In reply to California Approves Orbiting Solar Panel Deal, Aims for 2016 Launch
    Year 2016: ''And in other news, Californians across the state are inexplicably suffering higher rates of cancer than any other state across the US."
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of icelight icelight
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: Of all the possible issues with space-based power (transmission efficiencies, cost-to-orbit, receiver location) you would have to pick two that aren't actually issues?
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards promoted this comment icelight was starred icelight was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    @icelight: Same reason I keep my cellphone close to my nuts.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of Yerzriknot Yerzriknot
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: Not the same kind of radiation. You CANNOT get cancer from microwave radiation.
     Reply
    Yerzriknot was starred Yerzriknot was unstarred
    Image of Duckspwn Duckspwn
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: Whoa whoa whoa, close to the little round pals? Can't you hear their tiny screams of radiation-induced pain?
     Reply
    Duckspwn was starred Duckspwn was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    @Yerzriknot: Aww, now you tell me. I was hoping to cheaply sterilize myself so I don't get any wild love children running around.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of Yerzriknot Yerzriknot
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: Sorry, at best you'll have mutant love children.
     Reply
    Yerzriknot was starred Yerzriknot was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    @Yerzriknot: Hmm, that might actually be worth it then, especially if one has mutant superpowers. I need to get another cell phone.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of Shamoononon: I shave my legs. Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
    12/04/09

    @Yerzriknot: Dad?
     Reply
    Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was starred Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was unstarred
    Image of Yerzriknot Yerzriknot
    12/04/09

    @Nathan Obbards: One for each nut?
     Reply
    Yerzriknot was starred Yerzriknot was unstarred
    Image of Nathan Obbards Nathan Obbards
    12/04/09

    @Yerzriknot: Exactly.
     Reply
    Nathan Obbards was starred Nathan Obbards was unstarred
    Image of not_a_virus.exe.vbs not_a_virus.exe.vbs
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    So what advantage is there for putting them in space? Won't it cost more?
     Reply
    not_a_virus.exe.vbs was starred not_a_virus.exe.vbs was unstarred
    Image of Monty Monty
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    We may have canceled the laser plane from our defense budget, but that won't stop private enterprise from creating energy beams from space. Nifty. I have a finsky here that says it never works.
     Reply
    Monty was starred Monty was unstarred
    Image of Cliff_Dangers Cliff_Dangers
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    I always felt that since the biggest complaint to installing solar panels in a house was of course cost, that the federal government should pass a law that requires all new houses being built to have solar panels installed. Because this would mean huge orders for panel makers, this would drive down costs and boost investment into making more efficient panels. Thus, the lower price of the panels could easily justify a small increase in the price of the house because it would soon be saved through lower energy bills.
     Reply
    Cliff_Dangers was starred Cliff_Dangers was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    04/15/09

    @Cliff_Dangers: "Requiring" it would then require a way to "police" it. Just like some people have a dummy muffler or anything else required, you would get people who would not want it and install dummy collectors. You also have to remember that the panels aren't the only part of the system. You have to have an transformer to ramp up the incoming voltage and a way to store it, a power company with the ability to take the energy, a way to transmit it to the place it's needed, etc.. etc...
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of Nick Nick
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    if this works (the energy beaming part) is there any way to take those obejcts in orbit/tumbling in space and convert the energy from their movement and beam it back?


    let me know if you'er smart and i call dibbs on the patent.


    dibbs

     Reply
    Nick was starred Nick was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    Wouldn't all that energy being beamed to earth cause heat? I would imagine the waves would heat/excite the molecules in the air in the column they travel in, which would mean it would disrupt air currents, even if only by a fraction. Also, what about space debris/solar flares/etc....
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of Jackhole Jackhole
    04/15/09

    @UsingTheColbert_GitEmSteveDave: Yes I would think it cause some local heating..don't know about disrupting air currents. I most certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere fucking near this thing, tho.
     Reply
    Jackhole was starred Jackhole was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    04/15/09

    @Jackhole: Well, the ground would absorb some of the stray energy, which would start an updraft which would create a column of heated air which would get hotter as it stayed in the beam and got closer to the source. Also, what are the effects of this energy on O3? Of course, a ozone hole over CA wouldn't be that big of a problem for me....
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of m4ximusprim3 m4ximusprim3
    04/15/09

    @UsingTheColbert_GitEmSteveDave: Also, how about birds/planes/etc unfortunate enough to wander into the beam? Do they just fry?
     Reply
    m4ximusprim3 was starred m4ximusprim3 was unstarred
    Image of GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday
    04/15/09

    @m4ximusprim3: Well, no fly zones are already in place and enforced in many places, and the thought of frying would def. disuade most pilots from breaking the rule. As for birds, I must agree. If a bird not being able to miss a loud whizzing 500 foot fan blade is enough to get windmills not installed how would a silent sizzling beam fare in the court of public opinion. Sometimes tree-huggers come in handy!
     Reply
    GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was starred GitEmSteveDave_HatesFriday was unstarred
    Image of Brett Dennis Brett Dennis
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    Power in spppaaaaacccceeeee. it had to be done
     Reply
    Brett Dennis was starred Brett Dennis was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/15/09

    @Brett Dennis: Not really.
     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016

    "...shoot it down via RF transmissions, a..."


    Was I the only one who went, "Oh, fuck shit!" when I read that? An energy beam with enough oomph that it can power California...being lasered from a computer controlled satellite towards terrestrial targets? Uh...I'll let you all reply with the obligatory SkyNet and/or Cylon implications...

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of whiteflea whiteflea
    04/15/09

    @bosskev: I don't think it's enough to power California. It's just "some" power. Still, it does sound scary.
     Reply
    whiteflea was starred whiteflea was unstarred
    Image of bosskev bosskev
    04/15/09

    @whiteflea: Yeah, I did realize that--I was going for the overplayed melodramatic effect. Comedic license, that kind of thing.


    OTOH, even if this thing only produces enough power to supply, say, the suburbs of Fresno, I still wouldn't want to be anywhere near its beam, off-target or otherwise. Well, not until the day comes that three-eyed children becomes fashionable, then maybe.

     Reply
    bosskev was starred bosskev was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    04/15/09

    @bosskev: I think they had this same idea in Gears of War.
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    04/15/09

    @bosskev: I don't think it would be hard to device some sort of laser trip wire. If the beam goes off course, then just turn it off.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    04/15/09

    @bosskev: Question is, how would planes know how to fly around it?
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of Sunburn_summer Sunburn_summer
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    Wonder what the risks are... I man other than total failure?
     Reply
    Sunburn_summer was starred Sunburn_summer was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    04/15/09

    @Sonburn: I have to mention this - agreeing to buy something for a certain price does not mean no risk. PG&E will still lose money if the 2016 price of energy is below what they agreed on.
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of Gann Gann
    04/15/09

    @Sonburn: If environmentalists are against wind power because it kill birds, they will love the ring of bbq'd birds around this thing.


    Oh, and assuming this thing is in geostationary orbit (about 20,000 miles above sea level), if it get's knocked off axis by 1 degree the beam burns a 350 mile long line across whatever is around.

     Reply
    Gann was starred Gann was unstarred
    Image of SSgtTEX SSgtTEX
    04/15/09

    In reply to California May Get Some Power From Solar Space Cells By 2016
    I would like to know what their projections of power loss will be as it is transmitted down to the Earth. I would thing the distance, atmostphere, and general air quality will lower it a fair amount.
     Reply
    SSgtTEX was starred SSgtTEX was unstarred
    Image of Monty Monty
    04/15/09

    @SSgtTEX: Call me a pessimist, but my initial assumption is the power loss will be one hundred percent because I have yet to see wireless power transmission. I know they are not actually transmitting the same sort of power we send through our power lines, but it is still a pretty pie in the sky, er - satellite in the sky sort of idea.
     Reply
    Monty was starred Monty was unstarred
    Image of Gann Gann
    04/15/09

    @Monty: Solar energy is a good example of wireless power transmission. All this would do is concentrate the solar energy into a powerful beam. The light would be converted into a wavelength that is best suited to penetrate the earth's atmosphere, so less of the energy would be absorbed than if the solar radiation were allowed to pass to the earth's surface.


    The Japanese have been planning to do this for a while. [inventorspot.com]

     Reply
    Gann was starred Gann was unstarred
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