"You can't generate solar power at night unless your panels are in space. A startup that wants to beam orbital sunlight straight into existing solar farms has just emerged from stealth, claiming a world-first power-beaming demo, but with a lot of critical information left unreported. Overview Energy announced on Wednesday that, after three years developing its technology in stealth mode, it managed to get a Cessna Caravan plane to send power to a solar installation on the ground from an altitude of 3 miles"
"As with similar space-to-ground power transmission concepts, Overview wants to lob a constellation of solar-collecting satellites into orbit that will turn solar energy into a power source available even at night when the sun is on the other side of the globe. Unlike competitors like Aetherflux, which aims to do so using an optical laser-based power-beaming system, or Northrop Grumman and Space Solar UK, both of which are developing microwave-based wireless power transmission concepts,"
Overview Energy developed a wide-beam, low-intensity near-infrared laser transmission system designed to deliver energy to standard commercial solar panels without custom ground receivers. After three years in stealth, the company flew a Cessna Caravan at about 5 kilometers altitude and transmitted power to a stationary ground solar installation, which the company described as a first demonstration from a moving transmitter. The approach contrasts with optical laser and microwave concepts pursued by competitors and aims to enable orbital constellations of solar-collecting satellites that beam sunlight to ground farms to provide continuous power even at night. The company asserts the beam is safe for humans and animals.
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