Orbital solar power plants could meet Earth's energy needs

"The sun's abundant energy, if harvested in space, could provide a cost-effective way to meet global power needs in as little as 30 years with seed money from governments", according to a study by an international scientific group.

A study group of the Paris-headquartered International Academy of Astronauts has claimed that Orbiting power plants (see picture)  will be "technically feasible" within a decade or two for use. The concept would be to collect solar energy and then beam it to Earth


"Such a project may be able to achieve economic viability in 30 years or less without laying out a road map or proposing a specific architecture", said the group.

Colonel Michael Smith, the U.S. Air Force's chief futurist as director of the Center for Strategy and Technology at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama said that the idea, if implemented successfully, could send safe and clean energy through out the world.WOW!