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BY Tali Aaron : February 22

PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space

solar outer space


California State's Public Utilities Commission in December approved a proposal by Pacific Gas & Electric to buy power from a southern California startup named Solaren.  And what is this power?  Solar energy beamed to earth from outer space.  Solar panels would be lifted by rockets into an orbit 22,000 miles high, where they would unfurl themselves into an array roughly a third the size of New York's Central Park. Rays from the sun, which are plentiful at that elevation, would be converted to electricity and then beamed down via microwaves to someplace along the PG&E grid. Birds and airplanes would have to keep a distance from the beams.

Quite a lofty idea from a company that has still not raised the capital to build this product.  So why is PG&E mixed up in this? Utilities are facing a requirement from the legislature to get 20% of their power from renewable sources by 2010.  And PG&E is trying every option it can, knowing that some might fail.  And if all fails, PG&E will say they tried and get an extension.

[via Forbes]

12 Responses to PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space

  1. buildaroo on September 28, 2012 at 12:32 am


    PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space http://t.co/qneJYO1y #eco #cleantech #greenbuilding #renewableenergy

  2. lgdrwv on February 5, 2012 at 6:50 am


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  3. Gomolemo on February 3, 2012 at 10:44 am


    I am idercnibly impressed that Facebook has decided to implement solar energy at its location. I think it’s a great message to the rest of the country (perhaps even the world) and it may help others follow suit.

  4. Mike Cobb on August 27, 2011 at 9:45 pm


    RT @cleangreenpro: PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space http://t.co/Yxe2I5X #eco #cleantech #greenbuilding #renewableenergy

  5. buildaroo on August 27, 2011 at 8:05 pm


    PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space http://t.co/kft5aUo #eco #cleantech #greenbuilding #renewableenergy

  6. buildaroo on August 27, 2011 at 8:05 pm


    PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space http://t.co/kft5aUo #eco #cleantech #greenbuilding #renewableenergy

  7. Laura-Adelina on May 13, 2011 at 10:15 am


    “@cleangreenpro: This is a good example why #renewableenergy will take off, even if it might fail occasionally! http://t.co/aIUwl5d

  8. buildaroo on May 13, 2011 at 7:58 am


    PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space http://bit.ly/8fTcqQ #eco #cleantech #greenbuilding #renewableenergy

  9. buildaroo on February 21, 2011 at 12:39 am


    PG&E may buy solar energy from outer space http://bit.ly/8fTcqQ #eco #cleantech #greenbuilding #renewableenergy


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  11. juanmolina on December 31, 2009 at 10:22 pm


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