Solar power generation surrounded by iron sheets

Can solar energy be used as a fuel source on the Moon?

However, there is a trade that must be performed in determining the relative mix between solar energy and water as fuel source on the Moon – clearly, solar energy is an abundant renewable resource while water (for hydrogen/oxygen) as a limited resource is not.

How to make solar cell grade silicon?

Solar cell grade silicon can potentially be produced through molten salt electrolysis of SiO 2. 18 It requires dissolution of the metal oxide (SiO 2) in a molten salt, a metal-halogen compound (such as Na 3 AlF 6 -AlF 3 or CaCl 2) at 1300 K. Molten aluminium chloride (AlCl 3) may be used under certain circumstances.

How much storage does an iron-air battery produce a year?

In contrast, the scaling of iron production necessary to meet the same deployed storage volumes with iron-air batteries is much more modest. Just one US DRI plant today can produce about two million tons per year, which if entirely used in iron-air batteries corresponds to 0.5 TWh of storage.

Can solar photovoltaic cells be made directly on the lunar surface?

Fabrication of solar photovoltaics cells directly on the lunar surface has been proposed in the past.

How can solar energy be obviated?

Approaches to obviate this include the use of solar reflectors (lunettas) in lunar orbit to project solar energy to the lunar surface. A lunar system could deliver 20 TW electricity to 100,000 km 2 of microwave rectenna receivers which could be implemented over deserts or offshore.

Do solar cells require pre-processing of regolith?

Solar cells require pre-processing of regolith and solar cell manufacture. We present an alternative lunar resource leveraged-solar power production system on the Moon which can yield high conversion efficiencies – solar Fresnel lens-thermionic conversion.