WASHINGTON — The Independent newspaper reports that the Pentagon has been using its secretive X-37B space plane to test a solar panel that could one day beam electricity to earth. <br /><br />The Photovoltaic Radiofrequency Antenna Module — or PRAM for short — is currently the size of a pizza box, but the technology could be scaled up in order to send massive amounts of clean and renewable energy to Earth via microwaves — possibly even enough energy to power whole cities. <br /><br />The test panel was launched into orbit last year aboard the space plane. <br /><br />It absorbs blue-light energy from sunlight that cannot pass through the Earth's atmosphere. This means it's able to harness solar energy much more effectively than terrestrial setups. <br /><br />The test panel is only capable of capturing and transmitting around 10 watts of energy back to Earth — enough to power a phone or tablet. <br /><br />However, if the system scales up successfully, the technology could deliver significant amounts of power to remote regions of the globe, as well as provide electricity during natural disasters and emergencies.
