As yet it is still too early to chose a technology for SPS; even the basic selection of a photovoltaic technology versus a thermal dynamic system is not clear. Among the photovoltaic technologies, many different approaches are still in consideration: the recent special issue of IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices reviewing recent advances in photovoltaic technology [8] had papers discussing 10 different photovoltaic materials, none of which could be ruled out as a competitive choice. A significant goal of ground-based power is thus for the competition among various technologies to shake out the lowest cost approach. One of the leading flat-plate photovoltaic approaches is the use of thin-film photovoltaic materials such as amorphous silicon or copper indium diselenide. Coincidentally, such thin-film materials are inherently radiation tolerant and have the potential for being manufacturable on thin, lightweight substrates. Such materials could be ideal for space use [9]. Current photovoltaic module production is about 30 MW(pelk) per year. Cumulative production of several 10s of Gigawatts would be required for photovoltaics to reach the technological maturity required for finalizing an SPS design. At a conservative industry growth rate of 10% per year, this is likely to take 20 years. The faster the demand for terrestrial PV grows, the more rapid the technology maturation will be. Having gained valuable experience with solar energy, when the solar generation market share begins to saturate demand for peak power, utilities will begin to search for a solar energy alternative that provides continuous power. At this point the SPS system should be ready to step in. SPS readiness, however, requires technology readiness of the other critical SPS element, large-scale power beaming. In-space Use of Beamed Power The advantage of making in-space power application the initial use for power beaming is that the effective cost of power in space is considerably greater than on Earth.
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