zlacker

>>g-mork+(OP)
> it is possible to put 500 to 1000 TW/year of AI satellites into deep space, meaningfully ascend the Kardashev scale and harness a non-trivial percentage of the Sun’s power

We currently make around 1 TW of photovoltaic cells per year, globally. The proposal here is to launch that much to space every 9 hours, complete with attached computers, continuously, from the moon.

edit: Also, this would capture a very trivial percentage of the Sun's power. A few trillionths per year.

>>gok+h4
> We currently make around 1 TW of photovoltaic cells per year, globally.

China made 1.8 TW of solar cells in 2025.

The raw materials required to make these are incredibly abundant, we make as much as we need.

>>fooker+yr
you realize the factor of 2 you introduce doesn't meaningfully change the order of magnitude that the previous poster is implying right?

>>momosc+qv
You missed the point.

We can make ten or hundred times the number of solar cells we make right now, we just don't have a reason to. The technology is fairly ancient unless you want to compete on efficiency, and the raw materials abundant.

>>fooker+py

  >We can make ten or hundred times the number of solar cells we make right now

Tomorrow?

The limit isn't just about the current capacity or the maximum theoretical capacity, it's also about the maximum speed you can ramp.

>>schiff+EC
>Tomorrow?

Eventually :)

Markets are forward looking, and not really bound to 'tomorrow'.