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 overcomed 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 eosynchronous
(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 Boerman, 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 cancollect 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 solarcells will be
connected to radiators to help keep them cool. Though Boerman
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 requireincreasing 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.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第一段内容“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”可知，从2016年起，太平洋天然气和电力公司将购买200兆瓦从太阳能电站的卫星上发送来的电力，此说法正确，所以选A。
单选题
Solaren is going to design 200 solar-power satellites.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】[解析] 根据文章第一段内容“the Pacific Gas and Electric Company buy 200 megawatt(兆瓦)of power beamed down from solar-power satellites beginning in 2016”可知，从2016年起，太平洋天然气和电力公司将购买200兆瓦从太阳能电站的卫星上发送来的电力，并没说提到设计了200兆瓦的太阳能电站卫星，所以选C。
单选题
Space-based solar cells could collect solar power only when skies are
clear.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 根据第三段末尾“Earth-based solar cells, by contrast, can only collect sun light during daytime and when skies are clear.”可知，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，此说法错误，所以选B。
单选题
One advantage of space-based solar power system is that it is
economical.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 根据第四段内容“But space-based solar power must grapple(努力克服)with the high cost per kilogram of launching things into space”可知，必须努力克服向太空发射时每公斤的高成本问题，此说法错误，所以选B。
单选题
Inflatable minors are used to reduce the space-based solar power
system.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[解析] 根据第五段“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，所以选A。
单选题
Space-based solar power will rule out other forms of renewable energy
sources.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Not mentioned
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[解析] 根据最后一段内容“it is not expecting to crowd out other forms of renewable energy”可知，它并不会挤掉可再生能源的其他形式，所以选B。
单选题
Many countries will grant permission for the use of spaced-based solar
power soon.