# Another dumb "why can't we do this with energy" question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dumb-why-cant-we-do-this-with-energy-question/60289>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 31, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dumb-why-cant-we-do-this-with-energy-question/60289 "2001-03-31T21:20:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sethdallob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@sethdallob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sethdallob)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dumb-why-cant-we-do-this-with-energy-question/60289/1 "2001-03-31T21:20:35Z")

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Is there any way to “beam” energy without wires, or massive electrical arcs?

IIRC, there was some buzz a few years ago about putting satellites with huge solar cells to collect energy and then somehow beaming that energy to stations here on Earth.

I apologize in advance if this question is as stupid as it might first seem.

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dumb-why-cant-we-do-this-with-energy-question/60289/2 "2001-03-31T21:22:38Z")

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Gerard K O’Neil proposed beaming the energy to earth with microwaves.

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**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dumb-why-cant-we-do-this-with-energy-question/60289/3 "2001-03-31T21:35:25Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> The feasibility of solar power stations orbiting the Earth and sending power to the surface, was investigated during the 1970’s energy crisis…The satellites would have transmitted a fixed microwave beam to the ground station. The microwave transmission system envisioned by NASA and DOE would have had three aspects:…
> 
> 1. the formation and control of microwave beams aimed precisely at fixed locations on the earth’s surface. – [Solar Power Satellites](http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/l123.html) (from the U.S. Department of Energy)

See also [Solar Power Satellites: An Idea Whose Time Has Come](http://www.FreeMars.org/history/sps.html).

Note that there would probably be environmentalist and possibly anti-terrorist concerns about giant energy beam stations orbiting the Earth.

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**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-dumb-why-cant-we-do-this-with-energy-question/60289/4 "2001-03-31T21:55:21Z")

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Here’s Cecil on the topic:

[What’s up with “broadcast power”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_274.html)

Arjuna34