California utility to buy space-based solar energy

Published: 04 Dec 2009 14:39 GMT

California regulators on Thursday approved an ambitious project to beam solar energy from space, starting in 2016.

Under a power purchase agreement approved by the California Public Utilities Commission, utility provider Pacific Gas & Electric will purchase electricity from technology provider Solaren, if it successfully deploys its space-based solar collectors, which would be the first of its kind.

PG&E has contracted to buy 1,700 gigawatt hours per year for 15 years from Solar for its space-based solar arrays, which will have a generating capacity of 200 megawatts. That is smaller than a full-scale nuclear or natural gas plant, but enough to supply thousands of homes. The anticipated date of operation is June 2016.

Space-based solar — an idea that has been around for decades — is being pursued by companies and researchers around the world. Its key advantage over land-based solar or wind power is that can generate renewable energy around the clock. The California Public Utilities Commission gave the go-ahead to the project in an effort to meet the state's aggressive renewable energy goals.

Souce: http://news.zdnet.co.uk/emergingtech/0,1000000183,39923056,00.htm