The advantage of space-based stations is that they could catch the Sun’s energy before some of it dissipates in the atmosphere. They would also be a more stable energy source than ground-based stations because they could avoid fluctuations due to weather, seasons or night.
The idea of space-based solar power stations has been around for decades, and scientists in the United States and Japan have been working on proof-of-principle technologies. But the cost of launching massive industrial-scale stations, which could weigh up to 1,000 tonnes, is a major obstacle.
China is considering using 3D printing to create and construct stations in space to avoid launching the hefty weight.
Read More.. Source Nature