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
In fairness, solar cells can be about 5x more efficient in space (irradiance, uptime).

>>moeadh+Lf
It is more than 5x less expensive to get surface area on earth’s surface.

>>cowsan+Yn
Right now it is.

However, the amount of available land is fixed and the demand for its use is growing. Solar isn't the only buyer in this real estate market.

>>bob102+Lp
We have so much excess land with no real use for it that our government actually pays farmers to grow corn on it to burn in cars.

Availability of land for solar production isn't remotely a real problem in the near term.

>>Jeremy+eq
This is really underselling it tbh. Any land that's growing corn in a developed country is likely top 1% of land on earth. Half of the earth is desert and tundra. Which is still incredibly easier to work with than space because you can ship there with a pickup very cheaply. Maybe when nevada and central australia are wall-to-wall solar panels we can check back on space.