Fig. 4. Annual energy balance of a 5-person-household with total electrical equipment and 5 kWp PV system. four times as large as today's largest conventional power plant unit and approximately of the same size or even smaller than the conglomeration of power plants in industrial areas. The power output of the satellite is not completely constant and subject to a number of variations: • seasonal variations, arising from the eccentric orbit of the Earth around the sun; • short power interruption when entering into the shadow on the Earth; • short variations during the correction of the transmitting antenna; and • unscheduled power interruption in case of technical problems. The seasonal variations of the power are in the range of ±5% of the installed capacity, i.e., approximately ±250 MW. These therefore are of less importance. They correspond roughly to the variations known from conventional power plants arising from coolant temperature differences on particularly hot and cold days. During two periods in the year the energy satellite enters daily, each time for a short period, into the shadow of the Earth and the power output is no longer available. These eclipse periods occur at midnight in March and September and last 42 days each time. The length of the shadowing increases from a few minutes to a maximum of 72 min on the 21st day and reduces down again to zero after 42 days.
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