a fundable demonstration platform delivering electricity to earth via solar powered lasers in space...
TRANSCRIPT
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A Fundable Demonstration Platform Delivering
Electricity to Earth Via Solar Powered Lasers in
Space
Eric Hoffert and Marty HoffertVersatility Energy
Contacts: [email protected],[email protected]
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The Potential of SSP• Space Solar Power (SSP) could Produce 20 Terawatts (e)
– Capacity to meet emission free needs for baseload power
• A 3 square kilometer array could produce ~ 1 Gigawatt– 1400 watts per square meter, 25% end-to-end efficiency– Effective 350 watts per square meter * 3 km^2 = 1 Gigawatt– 20 Terawatts (e) = ~60,000+ square kilometers of arrays in GEO
• Variables– Production scale+launch cost, meteorites, PV efficiency, orbit
slots– Nanomaterials for dramatic weight reduction of infrastructure– Price may range from 1 to 10 cents per kilowatt-hour or more
• An Engineering Project of Unprecedented Scale and Cost• Q: How are Critical Technologies Matured to Achieve This
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Challenges• Minimal Development Progress for SSP in Forty Years
– From concept in 1968 to advanced concept in 2008
• Demonstration Status– Minimal Demonstrations of WPT (best: 30kW over 1.5km in
1975)– No Demonstrations of SSP
• Cost and Complexity of SSP Considered Prohibitive• Annual Global Funding Levels ~ $5M to $25M at best• Very Small Research Community• Minor Progress vs. Solar, Wind, Hydrogen, Fusion etc.
– Case in point – Ballard Power / Fuel cells evolution since Glaser
• Public Perception – “Science Fiction”• Lack of Confidence from Potential Investors
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Principles of SSP Evolution• Demonstrate Critical Technologies
– Provide credibility and increase confidence for potential stakeholders– Provide greater visibility for WPT and SSP
• Increment Efficiency Over Time– Historically, the energy efficiency of a given class of energy
converters starts at a few percent and grows over time as the technology is refined
– Prototype often, “Fail Fast”, iterate rapidly towards operational status
• Generate Revenue as you Go– Explore paths to generate revenue as SSP infrastructure evolves – Target premium pricing of $1 - $10 per kw-hour for niche applications
• Target Niche, Specialized Energy Markets– Peak power in high use markets, remote islands or mountainous areas– Defense power for remote and dangerous areas– Satellite station-keeping, space based power-plug;
• Reference: Journal of Space Power Vol. 1, No. 1
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Technology Demonstrations• Set Achievable Targets to Demonstrate Feasibility
– Power Levels (1 kw to 100 kw transmission)– Demonstration Cost ($1M to $100M+)– Transmission Distance (tens to hundreds of kilometers)– Near Term Timeframes (1 to 5 years)
• A Focus on Fundable SSP Platforms– A focus on laser SSP to reduce cost and complexity– Lasers dramatically reduce system size compared to
microwaves– Orders of magnitude cost reduction to “first power”
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The Big Picture• Energy Independence and Energy Affordability
– Massively scalable clean power sources must be developed– Clean energy must be affordable on a broad consumer basis
• “Clean Vehicles” and “Clean Buildings” Need Clean Power– Electricity is needed from clean sources rather than coal– Hybrid plug-ins, electric vehicle infrastructure, homes/buildings
• Clean Power Needed to Stabilize Climate Change– Global warming needs to be addressed
• Practical Path to Operational Business is Essential– Path needed: concept->demo->commercial power
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Hybrid Plug-In Cars Need Clean Power…
Hybrid Cars to Market: Hybrid Prius Plug-In (2010)
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Electric Cars Need Clean Power…
Electric Cars to Market: Tesla Motors (2008), Apterra. Chevy Volt (2010)
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Electric Car Platforms Need Clean Power
Project Better Place: A scalable infrastructure for electric vehicle re-charging and hot-swap battery exchange stations,
with goals for power delivery from renewable sources
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Homes & Businesses Need Clean Power
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The Solution: SSP via Laser Three Phase SSP
Plan:
1) Fundable Demonstrations
2) Niche “Premium Power” Applications
3) Baseload Power
Laser transmission allows for practical sizing of components in space and on the earth
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The Logic for Lasers, Part I
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The Logic for Lasers, Part II
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Laser Concepts, Part I
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Laser Concepts, Part II
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SSP Demonstration Platform:Prometheus 1
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire and light from Zeus and gave it to mortals for their use
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The Math PV, space
– (PV DC power output)/(solar photon power incident) 10%
laser– (laser coherent photon power out)/(space PV power in)
10%
trans– (laser photon power captured at surface)/(laser
coherent photon power transmitted) 80%
PV, surface– (DC power to grid or direct consumers)/(laser photon
power captured at surface) 80% (PV arrays tuned to bandgap) Laser efficiencies have been stated at 20%, resulting in 140
kWePV efficiencies have been stated at 20%, resulting in 280 kWe
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The Components
• Low Cost Launch– Launch options from China, Russia, USA, etc.
• Space Components– Inflatable Rigidizable Structures– Ultralight PV Arrays– High Energy Lasers– Balance of System
• PV Receivers– Tuned to laser bandgap
• Local Transmission– Infrastructure to deliver the power
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Low Cost Launch
Falcon 9 – starts @ $35 million; able to boost 9,900 kg to LEO, 4,900 kg to GTO, minimum GTO cost per kg is $10,500 (USA, 2008)
Falcon 9 Heavy – starts @ $78 million cost; able to boost 27,500 kg to LEO, 12,000 kg to GTO, minimum GTO cost per kg $8,200 (USA, 2008))
Proton - $85 million cost; 4,600 kg to GTO, cost per kg is $18,350 (Russia, 2000)
Long March - $60 million cost; 5,200 kg to GTO, cost per kg is $11,500 (China, 2000)
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Inflatable Solar ArraysOrthogonally folded struts and panels to help minimize deployment envelope
Minimalist structure to keep weight low
Example: inflatable solar sail package
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Ultra-light Photovoltaic Arrays
ESA-DLR ultra-light 20-meter space-qualified thin film PV array with supporting booms, with 400 m2 of CP1/a-Si:H thin film cells of mass 32 kg providing 50 kW of solar power deployable from the small “suitcase” at center High specific power:1 to 5 kWe/kg thin-film PV arrays; P/M ~1.6 shown here
The record for amorphous silicon on 6 m CP1 films is ~ 4 kWe/kg
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High Energy Lasers32 gain modules operating at 3.9 kW each = 124.8 kW of power;
20% efficiency in the lab, anticipated to rise to 50%
Joint High Power Solid State Laser (JHPSSL) Phase 3 program: Producing a 100 kW solid state laser system in a $50M R&D program at Northrop Grumman
Received power density is only 100 watts per square meter
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The Payload• Ultralight PV Arrays
– 10% efficient array, 100 m diameter, area 7800 m^2, GEO
– GEO input 1.4 w/m^2 ~ 1000 kWe (1 MWe) with (P/M) – PV ~ 2 kWe/kg w/ support structure would mass out to
500 kg
• High Energy Lasers– 200 kg for the laser
• Balance of System– 300 kg for “balance-of-system” (power conditioning,
attitude controls, telemetry, etc.)
• Total Weight and Cost– 1,000 kg weight * $15,000/kg = $15 Million
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More Demos (Space to Earth)
• International Space Station (ISS)
• Laser power beaming at kilowatt levels
• Compact Transmitter mechanism, thin power beam, simple PV receiver
• Space to Earth power beaming demos
• Transmit power using retrofit or existing satellites or space structures
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Global Power Beaming Demonstrations
• First ever international power beaming demo on a global scale
• Provide power to developing nations
• Received power of 10 kw to 100 kw for remote small homes, villages
• Develop consortium of public and private / corporate funding
• Media participation• Integrated local
storage
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The Applications• Classes of “Premium Power’ Niche Applications
– $1 to $10+ per Kilowatt hour with specialized requirements• Travel and Leisure
– Power delivered to remote islands, luxury hotels, mountain areas
• Defense– Power delivered to dangerous or remote military areas
• Media and Entertainment– Power delivered to extend lifecycle of broadcast TV satellites
• Commercial Peak Markets– Rotating peak power markets for power delivery
• Clean Water– Powering desalinization plants (i.e., India, Israel, Aruba)
• Scientific– Power delivered to remote laboratories and science stations
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Next Steps• Phased Approach: SSP Demos, Niche Apps, Baseload
– Phased Technology Demonstration, Funding, and R&D Model
• Identify and Secure Funding– Individuals -> strategic partners -> government -> venture
capital -> public markets
• Demonstrate Viability to the Public, Media, Policy Makers– Increased Investment, Activity, Community Participation
• Integrate with Synergistic Space and Energy Projects– Low cost Launch Vehicles, Terrestrial solar
• Focus on Pathway to Commercial Power Generation– Start with Premium Power and Niche Applications– Expand to Baseload Power
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Solar Power to the People…