Shining a light on solar power
A project to explore using space-based reflectors that will shine additional sunlight towards solar power farms has won backing from the European Research Council.
Professor Colin McInnes of the James Watt School of Engineering has received a €2.5m ERC Advanced Grant to support five years of research into new ways of maximising solar power generation.
The project will employ four postdoctoral researchers to work with Colin to devise, develop and demonstrate strategies for increasing the amount of energy produced by future large-scale solar power farms around the world.
Their work will outline the potential benefits of creating a constellation of gossamer-thin satellite reflectors. The reflectors would redirect sunlight from orbit towards future large-scale solar power farms on earth at the start and end of each day, when consumer demand for power is at its peak but the output of solar farms is weakest.
They will research the most efficient orbits and control strategies for the reflectors so that they can generate the maximum additional power on the ground while minimising the amount of stray light which reaches the earth.
The team will also work to develop and demonstrate in the laboratory new methods to automate the fabrication of such delicate reflectors in space, for example using 3D printing methods, lessening the danger of them being damaged during ascent to orbit and deployment.
This article was first published June 2020.
“The possibility of delivering energy from space offers new opportunities for the future. The delivery of global clean energy services is one the key challenges for the 21st century." Professor Colin McInnes