Regardless of whether SPS exerts a centralizing or decentralizing force on American society, public opinion about rectennae siting will undoubtedly be affected by perceptions of spatial redistributions in economic activity. However, before this aspect of the siting issue can be considered, it is first necessary to examine how the distribution of economic activity and society may be affected by SPS. Public acceptance of these consequences should be a topic for later investigation. 4.4 INTERNATIONAL MOBILITY At this stage it is virtually impossible to anticipate what consequences the siting of SPS rectenna might have for international relocations of economic activity and population. Like the issue of public opinion about domestic relocations, this one must also await the development of information about rectenna siting. But in addition, the study of international relocations must also await further definition of the SPS concept, the development of foreign affairs and evolution of the world economy . All of these will require the passage of time. Since international relocation is clearly a topic that will gain importance as the evaluation of SPS proceeds, it would be best to wait until the initial assessments of domestic relocation impacts are available. This understanding can then be applied to the international realm. There are, however, several questions that need to be answered in the short term to provide the building blocks for future assessments of international moves that may occur subsequent to rectenna siting. What is the prospect that rectennae would be sited outside the U.S. and in what countries or regions of the world might they be located? How might the future availability and cost of electricity affect international movements of industry by the time SPS become operational? How might the world economic situation (i.e., U.S. balance of payments, foreign money markets, corporate investment strategies, etc.) influence industrial attractions to rectenna sites and/or decisions to invest in SPS? These are complex questions and they are beyond the scope of initial assessments that are needed on economic/demographic relocations. However, they should be considered in the international portion of the initial societal assessment effort.
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