In reply to Michel Jullian's message of Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:13:43 +0100:
Hi,
>You guys all missed one tiny detail: in that article they (misleadingly)
>specify the width ("1-kilometer-wide" but not the _length_ of the array :) The
>hypothetical array would be quite long in fact as it would form a continuous
>band at geostationary orbit (cf the actual study group report further down the
>page), which seems a little overambitious if that calculation is not just
>meant to strike imagination.
>
>Michel
[snip]
That does indeed work out to about half a trillion boe over a 1 year period
(thermal only). However the thermal power is 1E14 W, resulting in about 1E13 W
electric if one assumes 10% conversion efficiency. Even if the cost is only $1 /
watt electric, the cost of the whole is still a 10 trillion, not ten billion.
Actually, since it is wrapped around in a circle, the real cost would be Pi
times that, so nearer 30 trillion.
Not to mention, where is one going to get all the mass from - Earth? Unlikely.
Mining the Moon or the asteroids might be cheaper.
Regards,
Robin van Spaandonk
The shrub is a plant.
