This could be the solution we need when it comes to getting a lot of power very quickly. A lot of colleges and universities, tech firms, corporations and so on are installing solar panels as windows or even bodies of their structures, which allows near unlimited energy. If we are going to be orbiting on a station in space as many have suggested, I'd think that solar panels would be the best idea.

Thoughts?

Je pense que "panneaux solaires" est le premier solution de la problem du electricite. Tes pensées?

I would agree, you can see there is a global trend now, moving towards more and more solar power being used. I think this technology is improving quite quickly so hopefully it will be a possibility for Asgardia. I think the problem comes down to having a good enough battery to store enough power from the sun, and have more efficient panel to collect enough power without having to have huge areas being used to collect solar power....

I completely agree as well. Solar energy is very much abundant, we just have to invest a lot more into it. Although, I think that Solar energy wouldn't be sufficient in powering ,say, a space station designed to house 100 people. An alternative source of energy is kinda needed though Solar Energy is still a go to kind of process to power a space station.

There is a great online course about solar energy on edX.org

https://www.edx.org/course/solar-energy-delftx-et3034x-0

It's from Delft University of Technology. i've done it and i could design a solar panel set for a residence

Along with solar panels, another source of energy to power the station could be bio-fuel. This could be done through human waste since it will be very abundant in the nation, as it is in any nation. This idea may seem repulsive to some, but it could prove to be rather efficient.

To get the more energy possible, fusion reactor will be needed. On earth, solar and wind is sufficient, while in LEO it still sufficient, however, farther we go in space, the less sun we will have... So Fusion reactors will be essentials to power our habitat / station or ship.

Solar panels are "good enough" for "light applications" up until about Jupiter or so. Further out the solar energies become less dense.

On Earth solar panels are typically good for about thirty years, after which the solar exposure basically kills it. Loss is comonly quantified as 1%/yr but it's likely a lot higher. In space, lacking atmospheric protections, that can drop as low as 15yrs. The closer to Sol you get, the more energy the same panel will produce - but the quicker it will also burn out. The most effective current mitigation techniques currently adding about five years at best, in earth-orbit locations. These are reliable, in the right conditions, but only considerable for short term use at best. Anything that will be servicing long term habitation needs to be viable for multiple generations ideally. Can't be doing with shutting everything down every 45 years to install a new reactor or w/e.

Generating energy isn't really much of an issue, even in space. The most common issue is dissipating excess thermal energy - the only real option available being through InfraRed radiation - as there is no matter to either conduct or convect. Dissipating thermal energy through devices leveraging the "seerback effect" should allow to convert some of the excess thermal energies directly into electricity. Other cunning techniques can dissipate some through metamaterials converting heat into light - reducing the requirement to generate/use electricity. Some have proposed striling engines to deal with some of the heat - converting it into kinetic energy, which could then be translated back into electrical energy. I've even caught mention of a dyson-harrop loop, beaming the energy back with IR.

I think photovoltaic panels should be a part of any design but - at present - they can only be supplemental as the current technology is inefficient. The ROI isn't that strong when the actual energy yield is considered. Any energy approach will, as already been detailed in a previous post, have to be all-inclusive which is pretty much how things are designed now anyway.

I'm not saying they have no uses - just be mindful of what they can't do as much as what they can. Improvements in technology are certainly the order of the day - specifically those that increase both the lifespan and efficiencies of the panel.

@EyeR : The main topic on solar panels was more in regard of earth structures than space ones. Since it was more said ''buildings'' and brang the point of windows, it should more be thought about on the ground. Of course, in space, it would be a necessity to have more reliable power sources than solar panels, but on earth, it will be good.

Solar panels and wind turbines should be the main power source to avoid the use of ressources to burn. We already have an enough advance technology to leave behind the other power sources that are destroying our environment. Plus, there is already some cities that put water turbines into their clean water pipes. The vast use of water all day long is a perfect reason to do that, since the water flow will produce a large amount of energy.