California Public Utilities Commission has recently approved an ambitious project to beam solar energy from space starting in 2016 — similar to that Japanese plan we covered before.

Under the plan, Pacific Gas & Electric will eventually purchase 1,700 GWh per year for 15 years of electricity from technology provider Solaren if it successfully deploys its space-based solar collectors. The generating capacity should be 200 MW, which is enough to supply thousands of homes. The anticipated start date of operation is set for June, 2016.

Space-based solar is not a novel idea, and is being pursued by companies and researchers around the world. The key argument for using it is that it can generate energy around the clock, not only during the day.

Solaren's plan involves using satellites equipped with PV panels and mirrors to generate electricity, which is then transmitted via microwaves to a ground receiver station in Fresno County, California. The receiver then converts the radio frequency energy to electricity that is further fed into the power grid…

[Via: CNET]