[extropy-chat] Nanoengineered terrestrial solar vs. nanoengineered space solar power

[Keith Henson]

At 11:34 PM 4/6/2007 -0400, you wrote:
>I'm looking for information and leads for a research project. In switching
>from oil to solar, what are the economical tradeoffs between terrestrial and
>space solar power, based on cost per megawatt?

If it costs the same to put a solar cell in space as it does on the ground, 
the advantage of putting it in space ranges from about 4 to over 20 
depending on location (mostly the effect of clouds on top of night).  BTW, 
making liquid fuels from electricity ranges from moderately expensive 
up.  You can pull carbon out of the air to make hydrocarbons, or you can 
make ammonia as a way to carry hydrogen.

>What is the projected increase in cost-efficiency of batteries and other
>energy storage systems needed to provide power at night and deal with
>seasonal and weather variations?

High, extremely high and very high.

>What is the cost-efficiency of geographically distributed vs. centralized
>power sources?

Less for transmission lines, but we already have an awful lot of 
transmission lines in place

>http://www.permanent.com/p-sps-ec.htm is one good source, but is limited in
>technology forecasts, such as nanoengineered batteries.
>
>Looks like India is planning to invest heavily in space solar power. More on
>that later...

That's really interesting.  Pointers please?

Keith