The project has been coined the Manhattan Project of the energy sector — the original Manhattan Project being the top-secret World War II programme that developed the first atomic bombs.
“We are working on this project now,” says Long Lehao, a senior Chinese scientist who is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and one of the brains behind the project.
“It is as significant as moving the Three Gorges Dam to a geostationary orbit 36,000km above the Earth. This is an incredible project to look forward to.”
Long Lehao shared details of the project during a lecture at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in October, with his speech transcription later released by the academy in December.
What is China’s Three Gorges Dam?
While space ventures promise future potential, China already hosts the world’s largest hydropower project – the Three Gorges Dam.
Situated on the Yangtze River, this marvel of modern engineering, constructed over 17 years, generates approximately 100 billion kWh annually.