The world’s energy consumption is increasing and will continue to grow. According to a report by the University of Oxford, current global energy consumption is more than 160 billion megawatt hours per year, of which solar energy today contributes only 0.58 billion megawatt hours.
Despite increases investment in renewable energy solutions, more than 80 percent of global energy is fueled by hydrocarbons. Solar energy today generates less than 0.4 percent.
Current predictions indicate that global population, currently 7.9 billion, will reach 9.7 billion by 2050. As a result of both demographics and rising living standards in developing nations, the world’s energy consumption is predicted to grow by 50 percent by 2050.
Reliance on fossil fuel usage for most of the world’s energy generation contributes significantly to accelerating climate change and the resulting impacts for life on Earth. With such pressure to increase energy generation, while minimizing climate change, can what might appear to be the radical concept of solar power from space be an additional alternative to fossil fuels?
