Economic Evaluation of Space Solar Power System in Consideration of the Technological Development
- Paper number
IAC-05-C3.1.08
- Author
Mr. Iwao Matsuoka, Kyoto University, Japan
- Year
2005
- Abstract
Kyoto Protocol adopted at the 3rd Conference of Parties (COP3) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in 1997 includes the article that 41 industrialized countries, Annex-1 countries, will have to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emission. This protocol was brought into effect on February, 2005. And the energy industries that emit a large amount of carbon dioxide are obliged to implement various technological measures for the emission reduction. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of the Space Solar Power System (SSPS) from the economic viewpoint. The SSPS is the system that generates the electric power by the solar panels on the orbiting platform, transforms the power into the microwave and then transmits it to the earth. The construction of the orbiting platform will need an enormous amount of initial investment. Therefore, it is important to estimate its economic feasibility beforehand. Firstly, we researched and prospected the future electricity market in Japan and estimated the competitive power supplies against the SSPS and the future demand of power shared by the SSPS and other generators. And we make some scenarios of the introduction of the SSPS in the future market. Secondly, the feasibility study about the SSPS was evaluated from the economic viewpoint, in consideration of the technological development about the elemental technologies of the SSPS from the roadmap drawn up by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA. And we estimated the timing of the introduction of the experimental and the demonstration plant before the commercial plant of the SSPS.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-C3.1.08.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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