Energy beamed down from space is one step closer to reality, now that California has given the green light to an agreement that would see the Pacific Gas and Electric Company buy 200 megawatt (兆瓦) of power beamed down from solar-power satellites beginning in 2016. But some major challenges will have to be overcome if the technology is to be used widely.
A start-up company called Solaren is designing the satellites, which it says will use radio waves to beam energy down to a receiving station on Earth.
The attraction of collecting solar power in space is the almost uninterrupted sunshine available in geosynchronous (与地球同步的) orbit. Earth-based solar cells, by contrast, can only collect sun light during daytime and when skies are clear.
"But space-based solar power must grapple (努力克服) with the high cost per kilogram of launching things into space," says Richard Schwartz of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. "If you"re talking about it being economically viable or power of the Earth, it"s a tough go." he says.
Cal Boer Man, Solaren"s director of energy services, says the company designed its satellites with a view to keeping launch costs down. "We knew we had to come up with a different, revolutionary design," he says. A patent the company has won describes ways to reduce the system"s weight, including using inflatable minors to focus sunlight on solar cells, so a smaller number can collect the same amount of energy.
"But using minors introduces other challenges, including keeping the solar cells from overheating," says Schwartz. "You have to take care of heat dissipation (散发) because you"re now concentrating a lot of energy in one place," he says. According to the company"s patent, Solaren"s solar cells will be connected to radiators to help keep them cool.
Though Boer Man says the company believes it can make space-based solar power work, it is not expecting to crowd out other forms of renewable energy. Laws in California and other states require increasing use of renewable energy in coming years, he points out. "To meet those needs, we"re going to need all types of renewable energy sources," he says.
单选题
Solar-power satellites will use radio waves to beam energy down from space.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：太阳能卫星将用无线电波来收集来自太空的能量。本题给出的信息是正确的。由关键词solar-power satellites定位原文到文章第一段：...of power beamed down from solar-power satellites beginning in 2016.太阳能卫星会使用无线电波从太空发射能量光束。
单选题
Solaren is going to design 200 solar-power satellites.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：Solaren将设计200台太阳能卫星。文章没有谈到这方面的信息，文章在第一段中提到200这个数字：the Pacific Gas and Electric Company buy 200 megawatt(兆瓦)of power beamed down from solar power satellites beginning in 2016.从2016年起，太平洋天然气和电力公司将购买200兆瓦的电能。所以题干所述与文章信息无关。
单选题
Space-based solar cells could collect solar power only when skies are clear.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：太空太阳能电池仅在晴天可以收集太阳能。本题给出的信息是错误的。文章在第三段末尾提到：Earth-based solar cells, by contrast, can only collect sun light during daytime and when skies are clear.相反，在地球上的太阳能电池只能在白天且无云的时候收集阳光。题干所述与文章信息的范围不是一致。
单选题
One advantage of space-based solar power system is that it is economical.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：太空太阳能电池的优点之一就是省钱。本题给出的信息是错误的。从文章第四段第一句：But space-based solar power must grapple(努力克服)with the high cost per kilogram of launching things into space.但太空太阳能必须竭力减少向太空发射每一千克的物品而付出的高昂成本，即成本高的问题。
单选题
Inflatable minors are used to reduce the space-based solar power system.
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：用可充气的镜子来降低太空太阳能电力系统。本题给出的信息是正确的。文章第五段提到：A patent the company has won describes ways to reduce the system"s weight.我们知道这家公司的一项专利说明了降低此系统重量的多种方法，包括使用可充气的镜子。
单选题
Space-based solar power will rule out other forms of renewable energy sources.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 题干大意：太空太阳能将排除其他形式的新能源。本题给出的信息是错误的。从文章最后一段：It is not expecting to crowd out other forms of renewable energy.我们知道它(从太空中获得的太阳能)并不会挤掉其他形式的可再生能源。
单选题
Many countries will grant permission for the use of spaced-based solar power soon.