CALIF APPROVES SPACE SOLAR

California utilities push for solar, wind and carbon-capture projects
Tiffany Hsu, December 3, 2009 (LA Times)

"California regulators went out of this world…and gave the go-ahead to a power-purchase agreement involving the nation’s first solar power plant in space.

"Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the state’s largest utility, will proceed with a 15-year contract with Manhattan Beach start-up Solaren Corp., after receiving approval from the California Public Utilities Commission."

image from greendiary.com (click to enlarge)

"The project, which is expected to go live in 2016, will use solar cells from Solaren on orbiting satellites to convert energy from the sun into radio-frequency waves. The waves will be transmitted to a receiving station near Fresno and reverted back into electricity.

"The project should produce 1,700 gigawatt-hours of energy each year, according to the commission. The Japanese government said this summer that it intends to pursue a similar space-based solar program."

image from greendiary.com (click to enlarge)

"California hopes that utilities will pull 20% of their power from renewable sources by 2010. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a directive in September pushing for a 33% by 2020 goal.

"San Francisco-based PG&E was also busy today signing a contract to buy and operate its first wind-energy project…[and] the California Public Utilities Commission gave approval for Edison International to spend up to $30 million to co-fund a feasibility study of a carbon-capture and storage plant…"