0191-9067/83 $3.00 + .00 Copyright 1983 SUNSAT Energy Council EUROPEAN QUESTIONS RELATED TO SATELLITE POWER SYSTEMS D. KASSING European Space Research and Technology Center Postbus 299 2200 AG Noordwijk, Netherlands Abstract — A number of problems which have been identified in recent European studies related to satellite power systems are addressed. Based on energy demand and supply projections for Europe, developed by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, the potential of power satellites in a future energy mix is discussed. A few major constraints are presented which may restrict power transmission to European receiving sites, e.g., orbital limitations, siting problems of the ground station, and economic and institutional issues. Conceptual designs for the structure of ground receiving stations located offshore near the European coastlines are described. THE POTENTIAL OF POWER SATELLITES FOR EUROPE In Europe, several energy demand and supply projections have been developed ranging from a zero increase (or even a slight decrease) up to an exponential increase of energy consumption in European countries in the next 30 to 50 years. The variations can be explained by the difference of political and economic assumptions made in the projections and by the progress expected by the various authors in the development of means for energy conservation. For the purpose of this discussion a moderate scenario developed by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria, in 1980 has been selected (1). Figure 1 shows an increase in the energy supply of about 609? towards the year 2030, and the corresponding energy mix in the European community. It also shows that coal production cannot increase very much in this time period and that gas and oil cannot be replaced by other energy sources. The scenario assumes that the gap will be filled mainly by light water reactors which, it is hoped, can be replaced by other advanced nuclear technologies, such as high-temperature reactors and fast-breeder reactors, after the year 2000. Terrestrial solar and other renewable sources of energy play only a marginal role in this scenario. Looking even further into the future and assuming a constant energy demand in Europe up to the end of the next century, it is very likely that a gap of about 2000 gigawatt (thermal) will appear because the present primary energy reserves (oil, gas and uranium) will probably have been exhausted.* Which energy sources could fill *On the basis of present consumption, reserves of oil from conventional deposits would last another 28 years, reserves of gas for 46 years, and reserves of uranium (outside Eastern countries; recovery costs up to $ 130/kg) for 76 years (2).
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