Our June 1996 presentation was given by Dr. Peter Glaser from Arthur D. Little, most well-known as the father of solar power satellites. On this night, he offered one solution to some major problems facing the planet, as well as a way to support more space efforts.
This night was also special as we were joined by Dr. Bill Brown, who is Dr. Glaser's peer and the creator of wireless power transmission - a key technology to Dr. Glaser's vision for moving clean power about the planet. We are honored to have both men as members in our Boston NSS chapter.
Population Growth
Our population growth threatens the environment, and a healthy global economy. Living standards drop, ecological threats increase, and availability of energy sources are reduced.
We have trouble just trying to predict the growth. In 1981, a study said the global population in the year 2100 would be 9 billion. In 1994, that estimate for 2100 was increased to 12 billion.
At the "City Summit" conference in Istanbul, Turkey, the migration of barely self-sustaining country-dwellers were reported to be moving to cities at the amazing rate of 150,000 people per day! It was estimated in 20 years, the count would rise to 250,000 people per day on the move to cities! The move from low-energy lifestyle to energy-demanding lifestyle only becomes more dramatic as the poor have more access to information about a better way to live.
Energy Outlook - 21st Century
"Energy usage is the nature of our species," says Dr. Glaser. We humans began early, from warming ourselves and cooking our food, evolving to a burgeoning, energy-hungry population of almost 6 billion.
Our global population of 5.6 billion people, use 13.5 terawatts of electricity per year. As the population reaches 9 billion, 27 terawatts will be needed. At 14 billion, 42 terawatts per year will be demanded, by end of century. How do we meet this demand? Oil can't meet it, at an affordable price. Maybe with fusion, but that is not without its problems.
If it were left up to the first-world countries to decide, the cost of environmental damage might be factored into any decision - but "we will be outnumbered soon" reports Dr. Glaser. A 1995 forecast by a Russian researcher reports that China is becoming the main power-buyer on the Euro-Asian continent. As first-world countries stabilize their population growth rates, third-world countries continue growing and so is their demand for cheap accessible power.
How will they get the power they need? A larger and larger number will be using fossil fuels which are: cheap and accessible. Dr. Glaser believes we have reached the peaks in coal, oil and gas supplies. We will NEVER run out of these, because now the price will rise in response to demand, and therefore reduce the demand. But standards of living cannot rise without access to power.
What other power alternatives are there? Dr. Glaser asks that we consider power from space.
Wireless Power Transmission
Power from space requires wireless power transmission. This idea first became possible in 1940, when Nicholas Tesla got his patent for wireless radio. This key technology made it possible for Dr. William Brown from Raytheon, to demonstrate wireless power transmission with a microwave beams about 20 years later. Dr. Brown developed a dipole rectifier that coverts transmitted microwave beams to DC electricity with 90% conversion efficiency!
In one of the first practical applications, the Canadians made an unmanned plane to facilitate communications in remote regions, and kept it aloft via microwave beams. This plane can fly at altitudes of 70,000 - 80,000 feet.
India has also taken a great interest in this type of application. With 400,000 villages and 500 million people, installing power lines and even telephone lines represent a huge task. Wireless transmission represents a viable alternative.
Dr. Glaser has proposed that this technology can be used to move power around the planet, to where it is needed - whether it is collected solar power, or home-grown (e.g. hydro-electric).
Safe and Efficient
The risk to humans in the physical area of the power beams is minimal. The power density is 25% of solar energy. At fence boundary of a receiver, the power density is less than the exposure to a microwave oven, 4-6 feet away, with the oven door closed.
Wireless power transmission (WPT) has been assessed by NASA. The 1980 $90 million study concluded there were "no insurmountable barriers to usage. But the nuclear reactor community pushed their solution to go forward and WPT was not promoted.
One configuration for a receiving antenna is called the Oceanic Equatorial Launch Facility. It would create a 5 gigawatt receiving antenna, up to 2 kilometers wide, suspended over ocean surface. It supports would be made from accreted materials from the ocean itself, and the antenna material would allow sunlight and rain to pass through.
Several experiments have been done. A rocket with a satellite was launched by Japan to confirm that you could beam power from launcher to satellite. Also in Japan, the SPS 2000 project made working models to demonstrate wireless power beams to a house grid, as a source of electrical power.
The Russians, in 1994, launched a large reflector to beam sunlight back to Earth; this may eventually support microwave power transmissions. That same year, the space station Mir beamed energy to a Swedish satellite over 1000 kilometers away.
Practical Applications
Dr. Glaser has proposed a practical application of wireless power transmission. The European communities will need 25 gigwatts of power by 2025, but where will they get it? The Guri Dam in Venezuela could provide that power but previously had no way to get it across the Atlantic. Dr. Glaser proposed that microwave beams could send the power to Europe, using satellites as relay stations.
Conclusion
Wireless power transmission hold great promise as a clean, safe and efficient way to move environmentally-friendly power to where it is needed. This can reduce the use of ecologically-damaging power sources such as coal and fossil fuels. And it can support the swelling population in its drive to increase living standards and afford more environmentally-safe technology. Certainly the hardware is costly, but Dr. Glaser points out "What is the real cost" of the alternatives? How much does pollution and environmental damage cost?
Wireless power transmission also supports our space initiative. If we want to go to space, our pioneers have to be able make a living at it - "There has to be a payback to society" says Dr. Glaser. Increasing the value of satellite s is one way. Another might be solar power collected on the Moon and beamed back to Earth.
Upcoming Boston NSS Events
Saturday, August 17
Boston NSS Annual PicnicJoin fellow chapter members for an afternoon of food and fun at the home of the chapter treasurer, Roxanne Warniers. For more information contact Roxanne at rwarnier@colybrand.com.
Philadelphia Area Space Alliance News
by Jay Haines
PASA meets regularly for a business luncheon and formal meeting from 1-3 pm, the third Saturday of every month at Smart Alex Restaurant, Sheraton University City, 35th & Chestnut. 2 hours free parking with validation.
Scheduled activities: Sat., August 17th, formal meeting; Tues., August 27th, 6:30 pm informal meeting; Sat., September 21st, formal meeting; November 22-24, Philcon. Call Michelle for details.
PASA was represented at a July 18th meeting with Instrumentation Technology Associates and NSS for planning the Student Space Experiment to fly aboard the Columbia in November. There will be a Guide for students who wish to follow the experiment in space, and participate in ground-based versions. Anyone who knows teachers in the Philadelphia area who might be interested in having their students participate should contact Michelle.
Earl is coordinating the construction of a Slingatron- launcher working demonstrator. Anyone interested in assisting, call him at (610)644-8654.
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