Electric power generation on mars using photovoltaic helium balloons

Abstract

Solar energy is one of the most promising clean energy sources. For Earth applications, numerous technologies utilizing the photovoltaic effect, ranging from cellular phones to geostationary satellites, have been developed. The solar radiation reaches the Earth's upper atmosphere at a rate of 1,366 W/m 2 (NREL 2006, 2009). While traveling through the atmosphere, 6% of the incoming solar radiation (insolation) is reflected and 16% is absorbed, resulting in a peak irradiance at the equator of 1,020 W/m2 (NASA 2006). Average atmospheric conditions (clouds, dust, pollution) reduce insolation by 20% through reflection and 3% through absorption. In North America the average insolation lies between 125 and 375 W/m2 (3 to 9 kWh/m2/day). © 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.