readytorunbook Chapter 159 National Strategy
Chapter 159 National Strategy
The symposium of the Energy Department of the National Development and Reform Commission is scheduled for Wednesday morning in a gray office building near Chang'an Avenue in Beijing.
Zuo Cheng arrived in Beijing a day early, accompanied by Han Lu. Yu Ying did not come; she stayed in Hangzhou to oversee the progress of the ground simulation experiment. Qiu Pei's technical report was finalized on Monday night, and Zuo Cheng carried a copy with him.
It was already 8 p.m. when he arrived in Beijing. Han Lu was waiting for him in the hotel lobby, holding a document in her hand.
"I received news this afternoon that the list of participants for the symposium has been adjusted again, with two more organizations added: China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and China Southern Power Grid."
Zuo Cheng took the document and glanced at it.
"China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) is conducting an assessment of microwave technology, and China Southern Power Grid is making demands. This is a good thing, indicating that policymakers are already considering issues related to the industry."
Han Lu nodded. "I also heard that the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation each have an internal team in the field of space photovoltaics, but neither is very large, totaling no more than thirty people. In comparison, our team led by Li Guodong alone has eleven people."
Zuo Cheng didn't comment. He didn't care much about the size of other people's teams, only whether his own skills were good enough.
The symposium was larger than expected.
The conference room was filled with more than twenty people, half of whom were from relevant government departments and the other half were technical experts from universities and enterprises. Zuo Cheng glanced at the sign-in sheet and found that both the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation had sent representatives; these two companies are the absolute mainstays in China's aerospace field.
The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Director of the Energy Department, and the opening was very concise.
"The main reason I've invited everyone here today is to discuss whether space-based photovoltaics should be included in the 14th Five-Year Plan for New Energy. First, each organization will give a technical presentation, fifteen minutes each."
Zuo Cheng was scheduled to speak fourth. The first three were China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Tsinghua University. Each of their reports had a different focus: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation focused on launch capabilities, the Chinese Academy of Sciences focused on solar panel technology, and Tsinghua University focused on microwave transmission theory.
However, none of them provided actual measurement data.
When Zuo Cheng stood up, the atmosphere in the conference room became somewhat awkward. A 23-year-old young man, leading a company that had only been established for three years, sitting among a group of gray-haired academicians and chief engineers, seemed rather out of place.
He paid no attention to the stares.
"Distinguished leaders and experts, I am Zuo Cheng, the founder of 402 Technology."
His voice was steady, and his pace was slow. The first slide was an organizational chart of the 402 Research Institute, the second was a roadmap for space photovoltaic technology, and the third went straight to the data.
"The 402 Research Institute has conducted three weeks of preliminary technical research on space photovoltaics. The beamforming algorithm, after eight iterations, achieved a microwave transmission efficiency of 80.2% and a beam pointing deviation of 0.04 degrees in a simulation environment."
He paused for a moment.
"This data is the highest level reported globally to date."
There was a two-second silence in the conference room. A professor from Tsinghua University adjusted his glasses and looked at the data on the screen. A researcher from the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, lowered his head and wrote something in his notebook.
Left City continues.
"Our technological approach has three key innovations. First, a hybrid architecture beamforming algorithm that combines global optimization and local adaptation, solving the computational latency problem of phased array solutions. Second, cross-branch AI fusion technology that transfers environmental perception algorithms accumulated in the UAV field to atmospheric correction, improving temporal resolution from hours to minutes. Third, an atmospheric correction database covering 92% of China's geographical area, which is the most complete database of its kind in the world."
Of the fifteen minutes allotted, Zuo Cheng spent fourteen minutes explaining the technology, leaving the last minute for a question.
"We are currently conducting ground-based simulation experiments. If the verification is successful, 402 is confident that it can launch its first commercial verification satellite within three years."
He closed his laptop and sat down.
The ensuing discussion lasted nearly two hours. The chief engineer of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation asked the first question, concerning launch cost accounting. Zuo Cheng explained the three-step plan in detail, listing the costs, risks, and timelines for each step. The other party did not ask any follow-up questions.
Experts from the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, were focused on the efficiency of the solar panels. Solar cells degrade much faster in space than on Earth, a problem that remains unsolved globally. Zuo Cheng mentioned that they are collaborating with Xingchen Technology to develop a new generation of high-efficiency solar cells. When pressed for details, Zuo Cheng said, "It's not convenient to disclose at the moment," but added, "We can provide some experimental data for reference during the technology verification phase." The other party's expression changed from skepticism to cautious approval.
The expert from China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) inquired about the choice of microwave frequency band. Zuo Cheng explained that the 5.8 GHz band has good penetration, mature equipment, and low international coordination costs, to which the expert nodded.
A representative from China Southern Power Grid asked a practical question: How much can the cost per kilowatt-hour be reduced?
Zuo Cheng gave a conservative estimate: "In the first verification satellite phase, the cost per kilowatt-hour could be as high as five yuan or more. But if the verification is successful and it enters the medium-scale experimental satellite phase, coupled with the reduction in launch costs brought about by reusable rockets, the cost per kilowatt-hour is expected to drop below one yuan and fifty cents. In the truly commercial stage, the goal is to be below eighty cents, on par with ground-based photovoltaics."
A murmur of discussion arose in the conference room. If 80 cents per kilowatt-hour could truly be achieved, space photovoltaics would no longer be a concept, but a genuinely commercially viable new energy sector.
As the meeting was ending, the deputy director of the Energy Department called Zuo Cheng over.
"Mr. Zuo, please stay for a moment."
Zuo Cheng and Han Lu followed the deputy director into a small conference room. The deputy director closed the door and poured two cups of tea.
"Is your data accurate?"
"It's true. We'll be launching ground-based simulation experiments next week to further confirm the results from the simulation environment."
The deputy director nodded.
"I personally support including space-based photovoltaics in the 14th Five-Year Plan. However, I need your cooperation on two things. First, complete the ground simulation experiments as soon as possible and produce solid verification data. Second, coordinate well with other aerospace units and avoid going it alone."
Zuo Cheng took the teacup.
"clear."
When Han Lu left the Energy Department, it was drizzling in the capital. She walked along the left side of the city wall, holding an umbrella.
"Neither requirement is difficult. Li Guodong is already overseeing the ground simulation experiments, and we're inherently the most open to collaboration issues."
Zuo Cheng didn't speak. He was thinking about something else.
The deputy director's attitude is clear: there's a high probability that space photovoltaics will be included in the plan. Once it's included, national funding and policies will be quickly implemented. However, this also means that 402 will transform from a startup into part of a national strategy. There are advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage is resources, the disadvantage is constraints.
My phone vibrated. Yu Ying sent me a message: The ground simulation test site has been confirmed. It is located at the aerospace test base in the suburbs of Hangzhou. Equipment debugging will begin next Monday.
Zuo Cheng replied with a single word: "Okay."
Then he opened the system panel and glanced at the progress bar of the space photovoltaic branch. It was a little brighter than before, like a seed sprouting.
He turned off his phone and said to Han Lu, "Book a flight back to Hangzhou for tomorrow."