<font color="yellow">Present solar cells produce about 300 watts per square meter in space if aimed at the sun = 300 megawatts per square kilometer. So ten square kilometers would produce 3 gigawatts.</font><br /><br />Whoa, slow down! I have a major problem with your math! Where are you finding solar cells that produce 300 watts/sq meter??<br /><br />AND EVEN IF YOU CAN FIND THEM:<br />The available energy at ground level is around 300 to 700 watts/square meter. You can't get 100% of that energy as electricity - because solar cells are not 100% effiecent. But I'll give you the "300 watts / square meter" figure. Ok....<br /><br />300 watts a square meter, fine. A square kilometer is 1,000 square meters, right? So would that not provide 300,000 watts in a square kilometer? (.3 Megawatts/sq km)<br /><br />Ok so far?<br /><br />Now, remember, the atmosphere steals more than half the available energy. In space (near earth, that is,) I believe the actual sun's energy level is around 1400 watts/square meter. <br /><br />Now, the cells are not 100% effiecent - currrent sales literature claims 15% or so. Let's be generous and say 50%!<br /><br />So, 1400 watts per sqare meter minus 50% loss in the solar cells (and no one has a 50% effeicent solar cell) in a 1 square kilometer array would yeild .7 megawatts. <br /><br />But again, that's .7 megawatts per sq/km <font color="yellow">IF</font>you can find a 50% effiecent solar cell and <font color="yellow">MINUS</font>the loss in the medium used to transport the energy to ground level.<br /><br />So a square kilometer solar panel array in space cannot possibly yeild even .7 Megawatts!<br />And a 10 square kilometer array couldn't produce 7 megawatts. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Now, someone check MY math! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1"><em>Note to Dr. Henry: The testosterone shots are working!</em></font> </div>