IXICIXI t1_ixijgjs wrote
Reply to comment by rocketsocks in The ESA aims to make 24/7 space-based solar energy harvesting a reality | Solaris program will study space-based solar power amid rising energy concerns by chrisdh79
Is this a matter of adding more energy to the system than there otherwise would have been without intervention?
rocketsocks t1_ixj39uk wrote
Yep. But whether it happens with burning coal that was buried forever or using sunlight that wouldn't have landed on Earth the result is the same. Replacing fossil fuel power generation with space based solar is net neutral with regard to direct heat production but avoids the generation of greenhouse gases which result in orders of magnitude more heating of the Earth (due to trapping heat that would otherwise have escaped), so it would be a huge win in that case.
Compared to where we are now, worrying about the impact of direct heating from human activities would count as a "nice problem to have".
IXICIXI t1_ixk32r6 wrote
I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for the response.
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments