On the Possibility of Intercontinental Power Transmission via Satellite ARNALDO M. ANGELINI Summary This work is intended as a detailed outline of the work necessary to perform a feasibility study of a programme to make use of the world's available hydroelectric potential - an energy source that is infinitely renewable and which exceeds current world power requirements. This programme is a logical extension of work carried out in the United States in 1968, which is described. The first section of this paper discusses currently unexploited hydroelectric resources and highlights their surprising extent. These resources are principally located in developing countries. A power system connecting these countries to the industrialized nations would be an exceptionally important bridge that would allow these underdeveloped nations to export a renewable resource in return for their economic and industrial development. Remote countries could supply power to the world market because the cost of ground-to-ground power transmission via space would be essentially independent of the distance separating the generating facility from the end-user. The great potential value to the industrialized nations of using clean hydropower derived from sources in remote underdeveloped countries could motivate them to surmount the considerable problems inherent in dealing with these countries on a large scale, much to the benefit of all concerned. Power would be supplied throughout the generating country (most of which are not currently electrified) as well as to the industrialized countries, since the space-based distribution system can send energy wherever it is required and local energy distribution is relatively simple. This project would offer great political benefits to all participants, and would generate the kind of momentum and international community that projects such as eureka are intended to. Available Hydroelectric Resources Throughout the World Considerable amounts of hydropower remain unexploited worldwide due to its remote Arnaldo M. Angelini is Professor Emeritus, University of Rome, Honorary President of ENEL, and member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Rome, Italy. Note: The article was rewritten for style by the editor of Space Power (Andrew Cutler). Any defects of style, as well as any errors or mis-statements which have crept into Professor Angelini's fascinating paper, are the Editor's fault, not the author's.
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